Dismissed English teacher posts firearm threat, forcing Thai school closure
A secondary school in Thailand's Songkhla Province was forced to suspend in-person classes for two days after a dismissed foreign teacher allegedly posted a firearm-related threat online.
Hatyaiwittayalai School in Hat Yai, Thailand, closed its campus on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution due to alleged firearm threats made by a former English teacher, Pieter Johannes Dreyer. The school, which educates 3,600 students and 250 staff members, shifted classes online to ensure safety. Dreyer was dismissed from the school on July 24 for violating his contract.
On August 8, Dreyer posted a photo of a firearm, along with text messages and an audio recording, in a public LINE group chat, which the school's management board deemed a direct threat to students, teachers, and administrators. Police subsequently filed a complaint, and Dreyer, a South African national, was identified as the culprit.
He has not returned to Thailand since leaving the country on July 19. Dreyer's posts included threatening messages, photos of himself firing a gun, and images of school executives in a LINE chat room with around 5,000 members. He also criticized the school's management. In a video posted on Monday, Dreyer apologized for causing fear and anxiety among students, former colleagues, parents, and alumni.
He claimed he did not intend to harm anyone and opposed violence. The threats came after a fatal shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bangkok, where a 14-year-old boy killed nine people and himself. Concerns over school safety have risen nationwide following this incident, which involved a boy with a history of watching violent videos and bringing a BB gun to school.
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