Thai school shooting leaves 7 dead in Bangkok area

A Thai school shooting outside Bangkok has left seven people dead, including a 14-year-old student who police say shot himself after the attack. Authorities told Dawn World and Reuters that the teenager first fatally shot his grandparents before opening fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on Friday.

The incident is now being described as Thailand’s worst mass killing since 2022. Police said at least 26 bullets were fired and that 34 additional rounds were found with the shooter. Investigators also said the handgun used in the attack belonged to the boy’s grandfather.

What police have confirmed

Police identified the shooter as a student. They said at least five other people were killed at the school, bringing the death toll to seven including the gunman. Officials also said 23 people were wounded. Among those hurt were both teachers and students, according to Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.

The motive remains under investigation. Police have not publicly said what led to the attack, and no additional details about the teenager’s background were included in the available reports.

Panic on campus near Bangkok

Students streamed out of the school on Bangkok’s northwestern outskirts as ambulances moved in to take the wounded away. Teachers were seen hugging and crying, according to the source report. Emergency workers also circulated photos showing injured people being treated outside ambulances.

One 18-year-old student told Reuters he first thought the sounds were firecrackers or someone striking an object. He said he did not immediately recognize the gunfire and described hearing repeated bursts before the noise stopped and then started again.

Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith, 47, said he arrived while the shooting was still underway, according to the report. The source report did not include the rest of his account.

A troubling pattern of gun violence

The attack adds to a series of high-profile shootings in Thailand in recent years. The country has the largest number of civilian-owned guns in Southeast Asia and one of the highest per-capita gun ownership rates in Asia, based on a 2017 estimate cited by the Small Arms Survey.

It is also the second school shooting in Thailand this year. In February, a teacher died and a student was injured in the south of the country, according to the source material.

For now, officials are focused on the investigation and the care of the wounded. But the scale of the latest Thai school shooting is likely to intensify scrutiny of gun access and campus safety in the country.

FAQ

What happened in the Thai school shooting?

Police said a 14-year-old student killed his grandparents, then opened fire at a school outside Bangkok before shooting himself.

How many people were killed?

Authorities said seven people died in total, including the gunman.

How many were injured?

Police reported 23 wounded.

Where did the shooting happen?

The attack took place at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on the capital’s northwestern outskirts.