Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on August 19, 2026, two weeks after a 14-year-old opened fire at a school, killing at least eight people [1, 2, 3]. At Surasamontree School in Bangkok, students participated in a "run, hide, fight" exercise. A police officer acted as a mock attacker armed with a handgun and assault rifle firing blanks [1, 2, 3].
Students practiced running from the gunman, hiding under tables and behind locked doors, and barricading entrances with furniture [1, 2, 3]. In one scenario, they tackled and pinned down the attacker after he entered the classroom [1, 2, 3]. Teachers demonstrated the use of handheld metal detectors and displayed confiscated sharp objects during the drills [1, 3].
Surasamontree School has also increased daily security checks, including metal detectors and bag searches [1, 3]. The drills followed a directive signed on August 10 by Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong requiring all schools to develop security plans and rehearse emergency response procedures [1, 2, 3].
Visitsak Vipattanamongkol, superintendent of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, said, "Every school is responding because this is a new-age threat that can happen anywhere" [1]. Surasamontree School director Onitcha Kochana said, "I'm impressed and really like this training, because it gives students knowledge and awareness. They can take what they learnt today and use it to handle the situation, turning something serious into something less severe" [1].
