Hatyai Wittayalai School will move classes online on Monday and Tuesday, August 10-11, after its director reported alleged threats against school administrators and teachers.

The report, filed at Hatyai police station at 4.20pm on August 8, concerns messages and images of weapons allegedly posted by a former foreign teacher in a large LINE open chat group.

Police report names former teacher

School director Thivichaya Meechuworapong told police that the former employee was a South African teacher identified in the school's announcement as Mr Pieter Johannes Dreyer, who had previously been fired from the school.

According to the director, the messages and weapon images were posted in a LINE open chat group with about 5,000 members. They were perceived as threatening to shoot school administrators and teachers. The alleged posts were reported by TV Channel 7 and PPTVHD36.

It was reported that the former teacher had also previously recorded and released a video accusing the school of many issues: delayed salary payments, discrepancies in social security contributions, a request for a salary increase, an outstanding 5,000 baht contract guarantee, and an assessment linked to flood damage claims.

The school had issued a statement clarifying that the allegations were false and had seriously damaged the reputation of the school.

Online lessons while security is reviewed

The director said she acted because she feared for the safety of herself, students, staff and school property. Hatyai Wittayalai said it would conduct lessons online for the two days while administrators review the situation and strengthen security measures on school grounds.

The decision came after the deadly shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School. A 14-year-old student killed multiple people, including himself, and injured more than 20 others at the school after earlier killing his grandparents.

School to reassess the position

The school said its administration would reassess the situation after the online-learning period. It also said security within the school premises would be enhanced more strictly.

Authorities reported that the investigation in the incident remains ongoing.

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9 August 2026

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At worse, they were direct threats and he will be arrested, charged, sentenced, deported, and blacklisted, and at best, he will be arrested, his visa cancelled for not being a fit and proper person to reside in Thailand, deported, and blacklisted.

Either way, bye bye.

This raises the uncomfortable question: how far can Thai police go when the alleged perpetrator might already be outside the country, and will schools now default to online classes at the first sign of threat?

29 minutes ago, Jim Waldron said:

and will schools now default to online classes at the first sign of threat?

The school director knows who is this fired employee and how seriously or not to take his threat.

UPDATE

Former foreign teacher making threats has left Thailand

Picture courtesy of Komchadluek

Police in Hat Yai have said a former foreign teacher connected to alleged threats against Hat Yai Wittayalai School left Thailand on 19 July, confirmed by immigration and has not officially returned.

The confirmation came after reports that the school would switch to online learning on 10 and 11 August 2026. Hat Yai Police Station said it was working with Songkhla immigration investigators to check information about the individual.

Police confirm departure from Thailand

According to police, immigration records show that the person departed the Kingdom to Malaysia, on 19 July 2026, at 2:39 PM via the Padang Besar border crossing in Sadao District, Songkhla Province.

There is currently no record of a subsequent entry into Thailand. Authorities have placed him on the watch list, to prevent him returning to the country.

Officers also checked the former address registered in official databases and found that nobody was living there, police said.

Before the alleged firearm threats, Dreyer had been posting about the dispute on TikTok and Reddit. On his @hatyaiwiteducator TikTok account, he discussed what he described as irregularities in the education system, including corruption, possible money laundering and court cases.

Following concerns about Dreyer’s conduct, a school-appointed committee investigated and concluded that he had breached or failed to comply with his employment conditions. His contract was terminated under school regulations.

Security measures remain in place

Hat Yai Police said it had put close security monitoring in place for people and locations connected with the matter.

The school has made a formal daily report with police as evidence for the legal process. Authorities said the safety of those involved and of educational premises was their priority.

Police urged those connected to the school, as well as the wider public, not to panic and to have confidence in the security arrangements. They said relevant agencies were coordinating their work systematically and officers were still proceeding with legal action based on the facts of the case.

Anyone with direct information relevant to the case should provide it to police rather than sharing unverified claims online. The school has already announced its temporary online-learning arrangements for 10 and 11 August and has not yet issued any update.

9 August 2026

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

The report, filed at Hatyai police station at 4.20pm on August 8, concerns messages and images of weapons allegedly posted by a former foreign teacher in a large LINE open chat group.

I guess until police/immigration can establish if he's actually in Thailand, and therefore a real threat, it's better safe than sorry.

How hard up does a foreign "teacher" need to be if the best 'teaching' job he can find is at a Wittayalai school in Hat Yai?

Edited August 9Aug 9 by ronnie50

I don't disagree.

For some people teaching is a calling and not for the money. Maybe he felt like a Missionary, trying to do good deeds.
Maybe he was retired and wanted to give kids in the Far South something better than a Filipino-trained teacher.
But, yeah, why Songkhla of all places? "Ballistic Vest for Aisle Three"

33 minutes ago, Stocky said:

I guess until police/immigration can establish if he's actually in Thailand, and therefore a real threat, it's better safe than sorry.

They can't, really. Unless they find him, they can't 100% know he's not in Thailand. There's a real long land border, and it's quite possible to sneak in. Hopefully, they'll get cooperation from the Malaysian government to confirm his whereabouts, and hopefully in jail if he actually made the threats.

Wonder what he was fired for ...?

Ridiculous. The man left the vountry alrrady si there is no threat at all. Just xenphobic behavior, to dhoe that not only Thais can be dangerous ir seems. And Wednesday all problems gone? Probably bevause of the celebrations they prepared. And it is stated not cause panic. What is this than?

Edited August 9Aug 9 by ikke1959

17 minutes ago, BusyB said:

Wonder what he was fired for ...?

Breach of contract. It is speculated that he was bringing attention to what he perceived as corrupt practices for a number of months to relevant authorities before, but was ignored. It's online on a post on FB and the reactions from the Thai public are there.

16 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Ridiculous. The man left the vountry alrrady si there is no threat at all. Just xenphobic behavior, to dhoe that not only Thais can be dangerous ir seems. And Wednesday all problems gone? Probably bevause of the celebrations they prepared. And it is stated not cause panic. What is this than?

Chip on your shoulder - paranoid nonsense. It's the right call until they can 100% establish it is safe. No compromises with children's safety. It would 100% be the same if it was a Thai, so don't be ridiculous.

Our kids' school in Bangkok was due to hold a major event when they got threats from a (Thai) ex student to shoot it up. They cancelled the event immediately and rescheduled for when the threat was gone. I am glad they did it, whether it was 100% a credible threat or not we'll thankfully never know.

Edited August 9Aug 9 by josephbloggs
Typo

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Police in Hat Yai have said a former foreign teacher connected to alleged threats against Hat Yai Wittayalai School left Thailand on 19 July, confirmed by immigration and has not officially returned.

Somehow I doubt he'll be returning

1 hour ago, The Oracle said:

I don't disagree.

For some people teaching is a calling and not for the money. Maybe he felt like a Missionary, trying to do good deeds.
Maybe he was retired and wanted to give kids in the Far South something better than a Filipino-trained teacher.
But, yeah, why Songkhla of all places? "Ballistic Vest for Aisle Three"

You clearly haven't visited the south.

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Chip on your shoulder - paranoid nonsense. It's the right call until they can 100% establish it is safe. No compromises with children's safety. It would 100% be the same if it was a Thai, so don't be ridiculous.

Our kids' school in Bangkok was due to hold a major event when they got threats from a (Thai) ex student to shoot it up. They cancelled the event immediately and rescheduled for when the threat was gone. I am glad they did it, whether it was 100% a credible threat or not we'll thankfully never know.

But this man has left the country already.... Was the person who threated your school also out of the country??? So there is a big difference imo

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

Ridiculous. The man left the vountry alrrady si there is no threat at all. Just xenphobic behavior, to dhoe that not only Thais can be dangerous ir seems. And Wednesday all problems gone? Probably bevause of the celebrations they prepared. And it is stated not cause panic. What is this than?

What drivel was that ?

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

But this man has left the country already.... Was the person who threated your school also out of the country??? So there is a big difference imo

He left across a land border. He could easily come back if he had genuinely nefarious intentions, anyone can sneak across the porous 600km border with Malaysia.

If they said he left via Suvarnabhumi and boarded a flight to South Africa then I would say worry over, the threat is gone and he could not come back undetected. But he crossed by land in to Malaysia - that is a very different thing. If he is set on doing what he threatens he can slip over the border and do it.

What is your problem exactly with exercising some caution over this when children's lives could be at stake? They've done the right thing.

17 hours ago, BusyB said:

Wonder what he was fired for ...?

Somehow I think this guy is a problem employee at every school he's ever worked, and regularly gets fired or contract not renewed. I mean a foreign teacher working at a regular Thai school in Songkla is kinda scraping the barrel isn't it? A bottom feader? What is the pay - 10,000 tops?

18 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Chip on your shoulder - paranoid nonsense. It's the right call until they can 100% establish it is safe. No compromises with children's safety. It would 100% be the same if it was a Thai, so don't be ridiculous.

Our kids' school in Bangkok was due to hold a major event when they got threats from a (Thai) ex student to shoot it up. They cancelled the event immediately and rescheduled for when the threat was gone. I am glad they did it, whether it was 100% a credible threat or not we'll thankfully never know.

Look, do we want our kids to be locked up in their homes, or in a school more like a jail, with armed police and checkpoints and metal detectors?

The two school shooting events I'm aware of were totally unpredictable. To raise kids to live in fear is more universally damaging than the PTSD of kids in one school.

The answer, as elsewhere, is in gun availability and gun possession. Both should be treated very harshly in law--say, 6 years, 3 with a guilty plea. Gun dealers (sorry, Fred) get 10 years.

Isn't it enough we're afraid to let our kids walk to school or go to the movies alone? Teach trust not fear.

Edited August 10Aug 10 by unblocktheplanet
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On 8/9/2026 at 4:13 PM, JerryM said:

The school director knows who is this fired employee and how seriously or not to take his threat.

Seems unnecessary to go online now as the x teacher has left the country...horse has already bolted...questions should be asked how he got the job.. .he was clearly unstable..

On 8/9/2026 at 4:13 PM, JerryM said:

The school director knows who is this fired employee and how seriously or not to take his threat.

21 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

He left across a land border. He could easily come back if he had genuinely nefarious intentions, anyone can sneak across the porous 600km border with Malaysia.

If they said he left via Suvarnabhumi and boarded a flight to South Africa then I would say worry over, the threat is gone and he could not come back undetected. But he crossed by land in to Malaysia - that is a very different thing. If he is set on doing what he threatens he can slip over the border and do it.

What is your problem exactly with exercising some caution over this when children's lives could be at stake? They've done the right thing.

From reading what he has written, I doubt that he's a threat to the children.

1 hour ago, IsmeUno said:

From reading what he has written, I doubt that he's a threat to the children.

Great! So they can change the TWO DAYS of online teaching to in school teaching.

So many people on this thread would take a risk over children's safety instead of just having two days of online schooling while they made sure. Not sure what is wrong with them to be honest.

Edited August 10Aug 10 by josephbloggs

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Look, do we want our kids to be locked up in their homes, or in a school more like a jail, with armed police and checkpoints and metal detectors?

The two school shooting events I'm aware of were totally unpredictable. To raise kids to live in fear is more universally damaging than the PTSD of kids in one school.

The answer, as elsewhere, is in gun availability and gun possession. Both should be treated very harshly in law--say, 6 years, 3 with a guilty plea. Gun dealers (sorry, Fred) get 10 years.

Isn't it enough we're afraid to let our kids walk to school or go to the movies alone? Teach trust not fear.

Not sure what this post is about to be honest. I was merely replying to someone who thought this was an anti foreigner thing which it clearly isn't.

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Great! So they can change the TWO DAYS of online teaching to in school teaching.

So many people on this thread would take a risk over children's safety instead of just having two days of online schooling while they made sure. Not sure what is wrong with them to be honest.

Who said anything about that? A bit of a leap don't you think?

27 minutes ago, IsmeUno said:

Who said anything about that? A bit of a leap don't you think?

Read the thread.

On 8/9/2026 at 5:18 PM, ikke1959 said:

Ridiculous. The man left the vountry alrrady si there is no threat at all. Just xenphobic behavior, to dhoe that not only Thais can be dangerous ir seems. And Wednesday all problems gone? Probably bevause of the celebrations they prepared. And it is stated not cause panic. What is this than?

On 8/9/2026 at 6:42 PM, ikke1959 said:

But this man has left the country already.... Was the person who threated your school also out of the country??? So there is a big difference imo

2 hours ago, Farage said:

Seems unnecessary to go online now as the x teacher has left the country...horse has already bolted...questions should be asked how he got the job.. .he was clearly unstable..

2 hours ago, IsmeUno said:

From reading what he has written, I doubt that he's a threat to the children.

Seems like many of you saying this is an overreaction or - in one case - a conspiracy against foreigners.

The right decision, two days of online school is not going to ruin an education, and safety first.

Why do people have a problem with that exactly?

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Read the thread.

Seems like many of you saying this is an overreaction or - in one case - a conspiracy against foreigners.

The right decision, two days of online school is not going to ruin an education, and safety first.

Why do people have a problem with that exactly?

You quoted me. I'm not responsible for what anyone else writes.

My response was with reference to another aspect of the article.

UPDATE

School blames mis-communication for foreign ex-teacher's post

18 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

I mean a foreign teacher working at a regular Thai school in Songkla is kinda scraping the barrel isn't it? A bottom feader? What is the pay - 10,000 tops?

From the posted update:

The director said the school could not immediately increase his monthly pay from 33,000 baht to 35,000 baht, as he had demanded.

10 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Read the thread.

Seems like many of you saying this is an overreaction or - in one case - a conspiracy against foreigners.

The right decision, two days of online school is not going to ruin an education, and safety first.

Why do people have a problem with that exactly?

Ah, we only worry about a copycat for two days and then...problem solved? Solving problems where there are none doesn't serve anybody's interests and sure doesn't protect children!

In fact, I think it causes direct harm. There's already enough paranoia about violence in the South without corrupting children's lives with our own fears!

Edited August 11Aug 11 by unblocktheplanet
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