Songkhla police chief removed after teen steals gun, storms school

The Director of Songkhla police station has been removed from his position following the February 11th school shooting that left a heroic principal dead.

Here's what happened: A teenager managed to steal a police submachine gun and stormed a local school in Songkhla. The school's principal was killed trying to protect students. The suspect is now in psychiatric care.

Police headquarters ordered the station chief's transfer to allow for a full investigation into how a civilian — let alone a teenager — got access to police weapons.

What this means for travelers

Songkhla isn't a major tourist destination like Phuket or Koh Samui, but it's the gateway to Malaysia and home to Hat Yai, which plenty of travelers pass through.

The incident raises questions about police security protocols in southern Thailand. While random school violence is extremely rare in Thailand, this shows gaps in how weapons are secured at local police stations.

For what it's worth, Hat Yai and Songkhla province generally feel safe for tourists. The main concerns are usually petty theft and the occasional bomb scare near the Malaysian border — not random gun violence.

The investigation

Removing the police chief is standard procedure when something this serious happens under their watch. It doesn't necessarily mean he's guilty of anything, but Police HQ wants a clean slate for the investigation.

The focus will be on:

• How the weapon was accessed
• What security protocols failed
• Whether this was an inside job or pure negligence

The suspect being in psychiatric care suggests mental health issues played a role, but that doesn't excuse the security failure that made it possible.

Southern Thailand context

Songkhla sits in Thailand's deep south, where there's been ongoing unrest in the southernmost provinces for years. But this incident doesn't appear connected to that conflict — it reads more like a disturbed individual who found an opportunity.

Still, it's a reminder that southern Thailand has more weapons floating around than other parts of the country, mostly due to the insurgency further south in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.

If you're crossing into Malaysia via Hat Yai, you'll see more security checks than usual for Thailand. That's normal and nothing to worry about.

The investigation continues, and we'll likely see policy changes around weapon storage at provincial police stations.

Planning a trip to southern Thailand? See what it actually costs with our free budget calculator.

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Source: Thai Examiner

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Source: Police HQ orders Director of Songkhla police station removed to allow probe into February 11th rampage