Hatyaiwittayalai School on Phetkasem Road in the Hat Yai District closed its campus on Monday and Tuesday. Classes for 3,600 students and 250 staff members were moved online as a safety precaution, the Bangkok Post reported.
The closure follows alleged threats made by Pieter Johannes Dreyer, a former teacher in the school’s English program. The school had terminated his employment on July 24 for allegedly violating his contract.
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Hatyaiwittayalai School, a public secondary school in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, Thailand. Photo from the school’s Facebook page |
According to Khaosoda school representative stated that on Aug. 8, Dreyer posted a photo of a firearm, accompanied by text messages and an audio recording, in a public LINE group chat.
The school’s management board viewed the posts as a direct threat to students, teachers, and administrators, and subsequently filed a police complaint in Hat Yai.
Police identified Dreyer as a South African national who left Thailand via the Padang Besar border checkpoint on July 19 and has not returned.
Authorities confirmed that the former teacher shared threatening messages, photos of himself firing a gun, and images of school executives in a LINE chat room with approximately 5,000 members. He also reportedly criticized the school’s management.
On Monday, Dreyer posted a video apologizing to students, former colleagues, parents, and alumni affected by his previous posts.
According to Tigerhe admitted that his remarks may have caused fear and anxiety, especially amid heightened national concerns over school violence.
Dreyer claimed he had no intention of harming anyone and strongly opposes violence. He stated that his initial comments were meant to highlight administrative concerns he wanted addressed through proper channels, though he acknowledged expressing them inappropriately.
The alleged threats occurred shortly after a separate, fatal shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok, which left nine people dead and escalated concerns over school safety nationwide.
In that shooting incident, a 14-year-old boy shot and killed his grandparents at their home north of Bangkok before using his grandfather’s handgun to kill six others at his school before taking his own life on Aug. 7.
Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting. Police reported on Sunday that the boy had a history of watching violent videos online and had previously brought a BB gun to school. Officials noted he was facing academic stress, and a classmate alleged he had been bullied.