Bangkok, Aug 12 (IANS): Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday approved an Education Ministry proposal to elevate school safety to a national agenda, following a mass shooting at a secondary school outside Bangkok last week that killed nine people.
The move aims to strengthen prevention and response at educational institutions systematically, protecting children, teachers and education personnel nationwide, said deputy government spokesperson Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn.
Under a ministry announcement effective immediately, Patdarasm said all schools have been designated "School Safety Zones" and must set up centres for the protection of rights, liberties and safety on their premises, draw up and rehearse emergency response plans, and coordinate with police and other agencies, Xinhua News Agency reported.
In a statement, she said the core of the approach is preventing risk before an incident occurs through strict searches and screening for weapons, illegal items and dangerous objects before entry, alongside mental health support systems covering both the physical and psychological welfare of students, teachers and staff.
The ministry is working with psychologists from Chulalongkorn University and crisis teams from the Mental Health Department to care for those affected and is preparing "Safe Rooms" for psychological recovery, she added.
For the longer term, the spokesperson noted that the ministry is drafting framework legislation on school safety and will monitor the mental state of those affected, screening for post-traumatic stress disorder at one, three and six months.
On August 7, Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that eight people were confirmed dead, including the gunman and his grandparents, and over 30 people were injured, with nine in critical condition, as a gunman opened fire at a school and home in Nonthaburi province earlier the day.
Local police were notified around 10 am (local time) after a gunman opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok.
A witness at the scene said the gunman wore a purple tracksuit and fired dozens of shots in the school. Video footage released by the media shows continuous gunfire heard throughout the campus.
It was reported that the alleged attacker, identified as a 14-year-old student, had been living with his grandparents. Thai police discovered the bodies of his grandparents at their home, with investigators believing they were shot dead before the attack at the school.
Authorities said a handgun was recovered at the scene, and initial information suggested it belonged to the grandfather of the alleged shooter. A large quantity of ammunition was also found in the suspected shooter's bag.
According to Thai media reports, during the investigation of the motive for the school shooting case, Thai police found on the suspect shooter's computer that he had searched and studied an American school shooting case.
Anutin told the media at the scene that the reason for the attack may be excessive academic pressure since the alleged student shooter's grandparents were very strict with his studies.
A friend of the gunman also confirmed that he was under great pressure recently and had made thorough preparations before the shooting, and had even posted photos of the gun he used on social media.
Anutin also said such an incident must not be allowed to happen again, noting that the government will promote stricter gun control measures, and relevant departments must strengthen supervision of gun ownership situations.
He said no one is allowed to carry guns into public places unless performing official duties.
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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.