After an August 7 shooting near Bangkok in which a 14-year-old killed his grandparents, five school staff and a pupil, Thai schools have introduced stricter security measures. At Sawasdee Wittaya School teachers now inspect every pupil's bag and pockets while the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has ordered weapons screening, 24-hour security and tighter visitor controls. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has halted new firearm licenses pending tighter rules. Schools say more funding is needed to repair CCTV and expand safety measures.
Thai Schools Tighten Security After Deadly August 7 Shooting
Staff inspect backpacks due to new security measures as students arrive at Sawasdee Wittaya School in Bangkok on August 14 (ANTHONY WALLACE)
Students stood quietly outside Sawasdee Wittaya School in Bangkok on Friday as teachers carried out thorough security sweeps, inspecting backpacks, pockets and even pencil cases under new safety measures introduced after the August 7 attack near the capital.
New Security Measures In Place
Thailand's government has ordered schools nationwide to step up precautions after a 14-year-old used a relative's firearm to kill his grandparents, then travelled to his school and shot five staff members and a pupil before taking his own life. At Sawasdee Wittaya — a modest public primary school with more than 500 pupils aged six to 12 and 30 teachers — six teachers meticulously checked every arriving student's bag and pockets.
"An incident like this should not have happened in a school," headteacher Suparong Sawangngamwong told AFP as he supervised the fresh inspections. He said the checks aim to reassure parents that the school is a safe place "where parents trust their children can spend their days."
Administration Directives And Parental Reaction
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has instructed schools under its authority to screen for weapons, institute around-the-clock security and enforce strict protocols for visitors. Some parents welcomed the measures. "The school should be a safe zone for kids," said Araya Chanu as she dropped off her daughter, adding that cooperation between parents and schools will make the measures more effective.
Resources, Drills And Ongoing Concerns
School leaders said they already run emergency drills with local police once per term and maintain rotating security staff to ensure children leave with the correct guardian. However, administrators warned more funding is needed: CCTV cameras on the school's four floors are partly out of order and additional surveillance and maintenance are required to fully implement safety plans.
Background: The August 7 attacker first killed his grandparents with a family firearm, then went to his school and fatally shot five teachers and staff, and wounded a 12-year-old girl who later died in hospital. The killings have reignited debate over firearm controls in Thailand, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the region.
In response to the attack, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the interior ministry and police to stop issuing licenses to possess, purchase and carry firearms, and called for "tighter controls and decisive penalties." Critics note, however, that past promises to tighten gun laws have not prevented repeated shootings.
What schools want next: Administrators are calling for additional government funding, functioning CCTV systems, clearer visitor-management systems and continued cooperation with police and parents to reduce the risk of similar tragedies.
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