BANGKOK: A 14-year-old student killed at least six people before taking his own life in a deadly school shooting near Bangkok on Friday, marking Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting since 2022, police said.
Authorities said the teenager first fatally shot his grandparents before heading to Debsirin Nonthaburi School, located on the northwestern outskirts of the Thai capital, where he opened fire on students and teachers.
According to police, the suspect fired at least 26 rounds during the attack and was found carrying 34 additional bullets. Investigators said the firearm used in the shooting belonged to his grandfather.
The shooting triggered panic across the school as students fled classrooms while teachers rushed to safety. Emergency responders transported the injured to nearby hospitals, while scenes from the campus showed medics treating victims and distressed teachers comforting one another.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant General Trairong Phophan confirmed that seven people, including the gunman, died in the incident, while 15 others sustained injuries. The casualties included both students and teachers.
An 18-year-old student who witnessed the attack said he initially mistook the sounds for firecrackers.
“I didn’t think it was a gun at first,” he told reporters. “There were many shots, then it went quiet before the firing started again.”
Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said rescue teams arrived while the shooting was still underway. They treated several injured students with gunshot wounds to their backs, chests and arms.
He said a male teacher was found dead on an upper floor of the school, while a female teacher was discovered with serious gunshot wounds. Moments later, rescuers heard one final gunshot before finding the suspect with a self-inflicted head wound.
Medical personnel immediately performed CPR and rushed the teenager to hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
Thailand’s Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed that both teachers and students were among the victims, while police identified the attacker as a student of the school.
The tragedy is the second school shooting in Thailand this year. In February, a teacher was killed and a student injured during a shooting at a school in the country’s southern region.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, describing the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy.
“This is terrible. I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and by the fact that such an incident has happened in our country,” the prime minister said.
Thailand has experienced several deadly mass shootings in recent years despite tighter gun control measures introduced after previous attacks. Following a 2023 mall shooting involving another 14-year-old suspect, authorities imposed stricter firearm licensing rules, import restrictions and tougher mental health assessments for gun owners.
However, gun violence remains a serious concern. According to the Small Arms Survey, Thailand has an estimated 10.3 million civilian-owned firearms, the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia.
The latest school shooting has once again reignited concerns over gun access, school security and mental health, with authorities launching a full investigation into the motive behind the attack.
