BANGKOK: A teenage student shot dead his grandparents before killing at least six people at a secondary school near Bangkok on Friday, in one of Thailand’s deadliest school shootings in recent years, police said.
According to Thailand’s national police, the suspect first used his grandfather’s handgun to kill both grandparents before travelling to Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok.
He then opened fire inside the school, killing three teachers and three students.
Students Flee in Panic
The shooting triggered panic as students and staff rushed to escape classrooms while police and emergency responders surrounded the school.
“I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pursue my dreams,” said Grade 12 student Pawarisa Maylissa.
“I heard many gunshots very loudly because it seemed the suspect was on the floor directly above us. I could even hear bullets hitting the floor,” she added.
Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said 15 students were injured while fleeing the attack. None had sustained gunshot wounds.
Suspect Found Dead
Authorities identified the gunman as a teenage student of the school who was later found dead.
Officials have not confirmed how he died. Local media reports, citing authorities, gave conflicting accounts, with some saying police shot him while others reported he died by suicide.
“It’s such a terrible incident. It should never have happened. How could this happen in our country?” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters.
Images published by local media showed the suspect wearing a school uniform and carrying a black cross-body bag, while spent bullet casings were scattered around the scene.
Mental health teams were deployed to support traumatised students, teachers and families.
Renewed Debate Over Gun Violence
The attack has renewed concerns over gun violence in Thailand, where an estimated 10 million firearms are in circulation—roughly one for every seven people.
Despite repeated government pledges to tighten gun laws, fatal shootings have continued.
In February this year, a teenage student used a police officer’s pistol to kill a school principal and injure two students in southern Thailand after allegedly stealing the weapon during an altercation with the officer. Authorities said the suspect had previously undergone psychiatric treatment.
Thailand also witnessed one of its deadliest mass killings in 2022, when a former police officer armed with a gun and knife attacked a nursery in northeastern Thailand, killing 36 people, including 24 children
