Extra security as school mourns needless death of beloved teacher in Bangkok street brawl

Khru Jiab had become an accidental victim of a street battle between two schools in the heart of Bangkok.

She was fatally injured by a stray bullet on Saturday morning when two youngsters on a motorcycle chased after a student of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus, and opened fire at him.

Khru Jiab was at that time, withdrawing money from an ATM machine in front of her school in Klong Toey.

Students have been placing flowers at the site where she was killed, and the school is taking steps to tighten security in and around the campus.

Officers from Tha Rua and Thung Mahamek police stations have also stepped up patrols in the area to protect students before and after classes over fears of more gunfire between Uthenthawai and its rival institute’s students.

The two gunmen have not been identified yet, but they are believed to be students from the rival Pathumwan Institute of Technology.

Fondly remembered

Meanwhile, everybody at the Sacred Heart Convent School had a kind word to say about the beloved teacher.

Chanatsikarn Manee-in, the school’s assistant director, said Khru Jiab’s passing is a great loss as she had been with the school for 27 years and was devoted to her students.

“She worked hard and loved her students. Plus she was always helpful to her fellow teachers and parents,” Chanatsikarn said. “We all feel this is a great loss for us.”

Chanatsikarn, whose office is next to that of Khru Jiab’s, said the late teacher greeted her daily and was always kind and friendly.

Tight security

Separately, as part of security measures, officers from Thung Mahamek Police Station will give students lessons on protecting themselves while on the streets, the assistant director said.

She added that the school was collecting donations to help Sirada’s two ageing parents and two children belonging to her late brother and an unaccounted-for sister.

During the prayer rites on campus on Monday morning, Lertsak Jaemklay, another assistant director, said he wanted to remind the students of all the good deeds Khru Jiab had done for them and the school.

Acknowledging that Khru Jiab’s death was shocking, he said all teachers are prepared to lend their shoulder and counselling to students affected by her passing.

He also said that police officers will be deployed to maintain security outside the school from 6am to 5pm daily.

The spot where Khru Jiab was shot is about 200 metres from the school, and several students have placed flowers there in her memory.

An eighth grader, who had come to lay flowers, tearfully said: “She was a good teacher and her lessons were great. She also provided me with good advice on several issues.”

Another student, an 11th grader, said Khru Jiab was loved by most students because she was very kind and always concerned about students. The student recounted walking past Khru Jiab just 10 minutes before she was shot.

Manchu Chuenjit, the mother of a ninth grader, said she herself had been taught by Khru Jiab.

“She was very kind, always smiling and she always greeted me,” she said, adding that her needless death has left many teachers and students sad.

Long-standing rivalries

“Street brawls by rival schools should be eradicated,” Manchu said, adding that she and other parents are glad that the incident had not taken place on a school day or the damage would have been worse.

The authorities have tried to end street fights between rival schools, but incidents like this often return to haunt society.

In the notorious case of Pathumwan Institute and Uthenthawai, the rivalry is believed to date back to the 1970s. The exact origins of the conflict are unclear, but it is believed to be rooted in a combination of factors, including competition for resources, territorial disputes as well as pride and loyalty to their respective institutes.