Thai schools hold shooting response drills after deadly school attack

Thailand's schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday, following a deadly attack two weeks prior. The incident occurred at a Bangkok school when a 14-year-old opened fire, killing at least eight people. In response, Surasamontree School in Bangkok held a "run, hide, fight" exercise, simulating a gunman scenario. Police officers dressed in black fired blanks, prompting students to run, hide, and use furniture to block entrances.

One drill saw students tackle and subdue the attacker after he entered the classroom. This comes after Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong issued a directive on August 10, urging schools to prepare security plans and conduct emergency response drills. Superintendent Visitsak Vipattanamongkol stated that every school is on alert and adjusting plans to protect students from potential threats.

The school also intensified daily security measures, including metal detectors and bag searches. Teachers demonstrated handheld detectors and confiscated sharp objects from students. School director Onitcha Kochana expressed satisfaction with the training, believing it provided students with crucial knowledge and awareness to handle real emergencies.

"They can take what they learned today and use it to handle the situation, turning something serious into something less severe," she said.