Thai Teen Kills 7 in Bangkok School Shooting, Including Himself
BANG KRUAI: A tragic incident unfolded at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, located on the outskirts of Bangkok, where a 14-year-old student fatally shot six individuals, including his grandparents, before taking his own life. This event marks Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting since 2022, as confirmed by local police. The shooting occurred on a Friday, prompting chaos as students fled the premises and emergency services rushed to assist the wounded.
Witnesses reported seeing students streaming out of the school, some visibly shaken, while teachers consoled one another. Emergency responders were seen transporting the injured to ambulances, with images circulating showing victims receiving medical attention outside the school.
According to police reports, the shooter discharged at least 26 rounds during the attack and was found in possession of 34 additional rounds of ammunition. The firearm used in the incident was reportedly registered to his grandfather.
An 18-year-old student recounted the initial moments of the shooting, stating he mistook the sound for firecrackers or someone banging on an object. He described the sequence of shots as a series of “bang bang bang,” followed by a brief silence before the gunfire resumed.
Lieutenant General Trairong Phophan, a spokesperson for the National Police, confirmed that the shooter was among the seven fatalities, with an additional 15 individuals sustaining injuries.
Second School Shooting in 2026
Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed that both students and teachers were among the casualties. This incident represents the second school shooting in Thailand this year, following an earlier event in February that resulted in the death of a teacher and injuries to a student in southern Thailand.
Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith described the harrowing scene upon his arrival, noting that his team treated students with injuries to their backs, chests, and arms. They discovered a male teacher deceased on an upper floor and a female teacher with severe injuries in another room.
Verapongpradith recounted the moment he was called to assist the teenage shooter after hearing a final gunshot. Upon reaching the scene, he found the shooter had shot himself in the head. Despite initial signs of life, the team initiated CPR before the suspect was transported to the hospital.
The school had an enrollment of approximately 3,100 students and 147 teachers during the 2025 academic year, according to district officials. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed his sorrow over the incident, stating, “This is terrible for something like this to happen. I’m sad for those who died and sad for something like this to happen in our country.”
Context of Gun Violence in Thailand
Gun ownership and violence are significant issues in Thailand, with a history of deadly shootings involving children among the victims. The country experienced its worst mass shooting in recent history in 2022, when a former policeman killed 36 people, including 22 children, in a brutal attack at a daycare center.
In July 2025, another gunman killed five individuals at a Bangkok market before turning the weapon on himself. Earlier this year, a teacher was shot dead in Hat Yai, and in 2023, a 14-year-old used a modified handgun to kill two people and injure five others at a luxury shopping center in Bangkok.
Following the 2023 incident, Anutin, then serving as interior minister, implemented a series of gun control measures, including a temporary ban on new licenses, import restrictions, and prohibiting individuals under 20 from accessing shooting ranges. Long-term strategies also involved requiring medical assessments of gun owners’ mental health and establishing validity periods for certain gun licenses.
According to a 2017 estimate by the Small Arms Survey, Thailand has approximately 10.3 million firearms in civilian hands, translating to around 15 guns per 100 residents—significantly higher than any other Southeast Asian nation.
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Published on 2026-08-07 09:47:00 • By the Editorial Desk
