Students who survived the deadly school shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok on Friday, August 7, have shared harrowing accounts of hiding under desks, hearing bullets strike classroom floors, and climbing over school fences to escape. The attack, carried out by a 14-year-old pupil, left seven people dead, including five teachers, and injured over 30 others.
Teen Gunman Kills Grandparents Before School Attack
Police reported that the suspect first shot and killed his grandparents at their home using a 9mm handgun registered to his grandfather before traveling to the school, where the violence unfolded shortly after classes began. The gunman later turned the weapon on himself and died in hospital, according to Thailand's health ministry.
The incident has renewed debate over firearm ownership in Thailand, which has one of the highest civilian gun ownership rates in Southeast Asia despite existing licensing requirements. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pledged to introduce a new firearms control law restricting the carrying of guns to government officials while on duty, though he did not specify whether ownership rules would be tightened.
Students Describe Terrifying Escape
A female student told the BBC she was standing in front of a teacher when the educator was shot. Realizing she had no safe route through the school grounds, she climbed over the perimeter fence to escape. "I had to climb over the school fence to escape," she said.
Another student, 17-year-old Pawarisa Maylissa, described hearing repeated gunfire from the floor above her classroom. "It seemed the suspect was on the floor directly above us. I could even hear bullets hitting the floor," she said. "I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams."
A third pupil initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks before realizing the danger. "I didn't think it was a gun at first," the student told Reuters. "Then I heard many shots. Bang, bang, bang."
Teacher Recalls Friend Among Victims
A 31-year-old teacher, who asked not to be identified, recalled seeing frightened pupils sprinting across the school compound. "Then I saw pupils run out, screaming. They said, 'There's a shooting!'” he said. He later discovered that one of the victims was a close friend. "One of the teachers killed was my friend. We attended this school together as students before becoming teachers here."
Emergency responder Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said rescue teams encountered wounded students with gunshot injuries to their arms, backs, and chests as they entered the school. After helping victims, rescuers rushed to the suspected gunman, who still had a pulse after apparently shooting himself. CPR was administered before he was transported to hospital, where he later died.
Police Investigate Motive
Police said forensic investigators found that many of the suspect's shots struck vital parts of the victims' bodies, suggesting a high degree of accuracy. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the attack as "well prepared," saying investigators believe the teenager planned his movements in advance and still had more than 30 rounds of ammunition remaining when he turned the gun on himself.
Authorities said information gathered from one of the suspect's close friends suggested he had been experiencing stress related to his studies, although police stressed investigations into the motive remain ongoing. The prime minister also confirmed that police only discovered the bodies of the suspect's grandparents after officers searched his family home following the school attack.
Gun Control Debate Reignited
The shooting has renewed debate over firearm ownership in Thailand, which has one of the highest civilian gun ownership rates in Southeast Asia despite existing licensing requirements. In response, Anutin pledged to introduce a new firearms control law that would restrict the carrying of guns to government officials while on duty, although he did not outline whether ownership rules would also be tightened.
The tragedy is the latest in a string of deadly gun attacks to hit Thailand in recent years, including a 2023 shopping mall shooting carried out by another 14-year-old boy and the 2022 childcare centre massacre that claimed 37 lives, most of them children.
School Closed for Mourning
Debsirin Nonthaburi School has suspended all activities and announced it will remain closed next week as grieving families, teachers, and students begin mourning one of the deadliest school shootings in the country's recent history. The attack has left the nation in shock, with many calling for stricter gun control measures to prevent future tragedies.
