A 14-year-old student opened fire at Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Friday morning, killing five teachers and wounding more than 30 others before taking his own life. The attack, which occurred on August 7, 2026, sent hundreds of panicked pupils fleeing the campus as lessons were underway.
Shooter Kills Grandparents Before Attack
Police reported that the boy used a 9mm handgun believed to belong to his grandfather, whom he had already shot dead along with his grandmother before arriving at the school. Forensic officers noted his aim was precise, with multiple shots hitting vital areas on his victims. The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the attack.
Student Witness Recounts Harrowing Moments
A seventh-grade girl who was present in her classroom when the shooting started described the moment a teacher was shot in front of her. As reported by BBC, she had to climb over the school fence to escape. Her mother said the girl believed she would not survive. "I thought I'd never see you again," the girl reportedly told her mother afterwards.
An 18-year-old student said he initially mistook the gunfire for firecrackers. "There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again," as reported by Reuters. Rescue worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith, 47, rushed to the scene after learning children as young as 12 had been hurt. He told Reuters he found students with gunshot wounds to the arm, back, and chest before helping transport them to hospital.
Possible Motive: Academic Pressure
Police have not yet confirmed a motive, but Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul suggested academic stress may have been a contributing factor. He said the boy's grandmother, who was a teacher, may have placed considerable pressure on him, and that a close friend of the shooter confirmed he had been struggling emotionally. A teacher at the school described the boy as a well-behaved student with good grades, while education authorities said he was a keen gamer.
Deadliest School Shooting in Years
The attack is the deadliest school shooting Thailand has seen in years and the second at a school in 2026 alone. In February, an 18-year-old gunman shot a head teacher and a female student during a siege at a school in the country's south. In 2022, a 34-year-old killed 37 people, most of them young children, in a shooting and stabbing at a nursery in Nong Bua Lamphu province.
Gun Control Debate Renewed
More than seven million people in Thailand are estimated to own firearms, one of the highest rates in the world, with over one million of those owners unlicensed. Porous land borders, corruption, and weak regulation have made illegal weapons relatively easy to obtain. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the opposition People's Party, called for urgent and systematic reform. "An act of violence in an educational institution, which should be one of the safest places in our society, serves as a stark reminder for Thai society to seriously and systematically review gun control measures," he wrote on Facebook.
