BANGKOK, Aug 12 — Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a proposal to elevate school safety to a “national agenda” following the Aug 7 shooting at a school in Nonthaburi province.
Deputy government spokeswoman Capt Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn said the Ministry of Education proposed the move to strengthen the systematic prevention of and response to incidents at educational institutions and ensure the safety of students, teachers and education personnel nationwide.
“As an immediate measure, the ministry issued school safety guidelines dated Aug 10, requiring educational institutions to establish ‘School Safety Zones’, set up Rights, Freedoms and Safety Protection Centres, prepare and conduct emergency response drills, and coordinate with police and relevant agencies,” she said in a statement following Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
The measures also require strict searches and screening for weapons, illegal items and dangerous objects before entry into schools, alongside mental health support for the physical and psychological well-being of students, teachers and education personnel.
Patdarasm said the ministry was also stepping up care and assistance for those affected, working with psychologists, the Faculty of Psychology at Chulalongkorn University and the Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (MCATT) of the Department of Mental Health.
“It is preparing ‘Safe Rooms’ to help restore mental well-being and preparing teachers and parents to provide appropriate care for students before they return to normal classes,” she said.
For the long term, she said the Education ministry is drafting a master law on school safety to establish a sustainable system for student care, while monitoring and assessing the mental health of those affected, including screening for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at one-, three- and six-month intervals.
“The government is not complacent and will not wait for an incident to occur before taking action. Instead, it will accelerate prevention, preparedness and care for children’s physical and mental well-being,” she said.
She said the ministry would also coordinate with all ministries overseeing educational institutions to adopt the safety measures, with the aim of establishing common nationwide standards and reassuring children, teachers and parents that schools are safe spaces for every child to learn and live.
Last Friday, a 14-year-old student at Debsirin Nonthaburi School allegedly shot his grandparents dead at dawn before opening fire at school, killing six teachers and school staff.
Twenty-one others were injured in the rampage and taken to hospital for treatment, eight of whom were in critical condition.
The suspect was later found dead at school with a gunshot wound to the head.
