School prepares for mass shooting amid spate of attacks in Thailand
A Thai school staged a mass shooting drill amid a spate of gun attacks in Thailand.
The annual simulation was held at the Wat Klang Municipal School in Khon Kaen, on August 21 with police, local officials and teachers overseeing the exercise.
A mock gunman moved through several floors of the school, firing blank rounds as pupils practised how to react to an attack.
Children were told to flee immediately if they could escape safely, while those unable to get away were instructed to hide and remain silent.
The drill lasted around 10 to 15 minutes before police officers moved in and brought the simulated attacker under control.
Officials said the exercise was held to give pupils first-hand experience of a mass shooting and familiarise them with the sound of gunfire.
It also tested the school's emergency response, including reporting incidents to police, coordinating with authorities and checking door locks and other safety measures.
Bunyarit Panitrungruang, deputy mayor of Khon Kaen City Municipality said the drill was an annual exercise organised by the municipality, but it coincided with a recent shooting this year.
He said Khon Kaen City Municipality oversees 11 schools under its jurisdiction and organises annual training and drill rehearsals at every school so students know how to respond during violent incidents.
The drill came after a horrific school shooting outside Bangkok on August 7.
A 14-year-old student killed his grandparents, followed by six others at the Debsirin Nonthaburi School before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators said they were examining a combination of possible factors, including family problems, school pressure, friendships and exposure to violent content online.
Thailand has a tragic history of school shootings, with firearms widely available from both shops and on the black market.
Though Thai authorities have vowed to tighten gun control, there are around four million unregistered guns, often smuggled from war-torn countries, in circulation, the Ministry of Interior said in 2023.
