BANGKOK — At least seven people were killed and 15 others injured on Friday after a teenage student opened fire at a high school on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok before turning the gun on himself. The attack occurred at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, triggering chaotic scenes as terrified students fled classroom buildings and emergency responders rushed to treat victims. National Police spokesperson Lieutenant General Trairong Phophan confirmed that the suspect, a 14-year-old ninth-grade student, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple rounds of gunfire echoing through the school corridors during morning classes. One 18-year-old student described initially mistaking the rapid gunshots for fireworks or heavy objects falling before realizing an active shooter was on campus. First responders from local emergency foundations arrived while the shooting was underway, administering CPR and transporting victims suffering from gunshot wounds to nearby medical centres. Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong stated that both teachers and students were among those fatally wounded during the assault.
Subsequent police investigations revealed that the teenager had killed his grandparents at their home in Bang Bua Thong district using his grandfather’s registered handgun prior to arriving at the school. Officers recovered the weapon alongside dozens of unspent ammunition rounds inside a bag carried by the suspect. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul indicated that preliminary inquiries showed the suspect was under severe personal stress and had prepared for the attack days in advance. Local administrative authorities announced that on-site classes at the institution, which accommodates roughly 3,100 enrolled students, would be suspended temporarily.
The tragedy highlights ongoing concerns regarding public safety and firearm availability in Thailand, which maintains one of the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia. The country has suffered several high-profile mass casualty events in recent years, including a 2022 daycare centre massacre that claimed 36 lives, a market shooting in Bangkok in July 2025, and a school shooting in the southern city of Hat Yai earlier this year. Government officials have pledged to review existing gun control regulations and step up mental health support initiatives for youth across the nation.
