Criminologist suggests teaching the public survival skills, as mass shootings 'no longer foreign to Thai society'

Assoc Prof Krisanaphong Poothakool, dean of Rangsit University’s Faculty of Criminology and Justice Administration, said that the private sector should place importance on training survival skills after recent mass shootings.

“There must be frequent drills on how to survive such incidents. Organisation executives have to set this as their policy,” he said.

“We have to admit that mass shooting is no longer foreign to Thai society,” he added.

Krisanaphong pointed to the massacre at a shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima province in February 2020. A disgruntled soldier of the Royal Thai Army killed 29 people and wounded 58 others during his shooting spree. He was eventually shot dead by police commandos.

The criminologist also suggested that police and military officers who were dismissed from duties due to a history of violence should be restricted in their weapon possession.

His comments came after Thursday’s massacre by a former policeman, who shot dead at least 36 people — including 24 children — during his gun rampage in Nong Bua Lamphu province.

Krisanaphong is himself a former police officer, having served for over two decades in the police force and his last rank was lieutenant colonel.

In August, Chulalongkorn University hosted a training session on “Run, Hide, Fight: A Response to Active Shooters”, teaching participants to identify potential threats of a mass shooting and how to respond.

If possible, they should run away from the threat as soon as possible. If not, they should hide at a place they believe is the safest for them in that situation. If necessary, they may have to fight with the perpetrator to survive.