On February 11, a school in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, Thailand, experienced a shooting incident when a young man broke into the campus and took teachers and students hostage, resulting in 1 death and 7 injuries. The deceased was 54-year-old Principal Sasi Pa, who, during the standoff with the gunman, volunteered to become a hostage herself in exchange for the release of a student. She was ultimately shot and seriously wounded, and succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of February 12. The public has hailed her as a hero who sacrificed herself to protect her students.
The incident occurred just before 5:00 pm local time on the 11th, when an 18-year-old man broke into the teaching building of Padongbatan Kiriva School, near Hat Yai, and fired shots, hitting the principal and a female student. Police reported that the principal died in the early hours of the 12th due to severe injuries, while the wounded female student is in stable condition. Another student, in the chaos, jumped out the window to escape and remains hospitalized.
According to the BBC, multiple teachers and students were trapped inside the teaching building during the incident and faced off with the gunman for about two hours. During this time, the principal bravely negotiated with the suspect and offered to exchange herself for a student to leave the scene, but was unexpectedly shot afterwards.
The school later posted on social media, expressing deepest condolences over the principal’s passing, describing her as someone who dedicated her life to education and was kind to everyone. The post stated: "Although we have lost her, the beautiful memories and her kindness will forever remain in our hearts."
On the afternoon of the 12th, large crowds of people dressed in black attended the memorial service, many in tears as they bid farewell. A large number of condolence messages also appeared online, with one parent writing: "Thank you for nurturing and educating our children."
On the afternoon of the 12th, mourners dressed in black continued to attend the principal’s memorial service, many unable to hold back tears as they said their goodbyes. The school’s social media page was flooded with messages of condolence, also posting a black-and-white photo of the devoted teacher in her school uniform.
Local officials revealed that the arrested suspect is about 18 or 19 years old, and his younger sister studies at the same school. The suspect has a history of drug use and was previously admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, with release scheduled in December 2025. Police are currently investigating his motive and the source of the firearm.