In the aftermath of a devastating shooting on the outskirts of Bangkok that left eight people dead and over 20 injured, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to enact stringent national gun control legislation. The perpetrator, a 14-year-old student, carried out the targeted assault before taking his own life.
The tragedy began early Friday morning at approximately 05:00 local time, when the adolescent fatally shot his 73-year-old grandfather and 74-year-old grandmother at their family apartment. Authorities confirmed both victims sustained single gunshot wounds to the head. Following the initial domestic attack, the youth boarded his usual school bus while armed with a handgun and multiple rounds of ammunition.
The teenager subsequently arrived at Debsirin School in Nonthaburi—a elite institution known for educating high-profile Thai figures—and attended his morning classes. Around 09:50 AM, during his second class, he drew the firearm and opened fire.
According to police reports, the shooter first targeted teachers on the sixth floor, killing three. As he descended the stairwell, he encountered the school’s deputy director and the director’s secretary, who were moving toward the gunfire to investigate, and shot them both. Police units dispatched to the campus discovered the assailant dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at approximately 10:40 AM.
While five school staff members died at the scene, the total death toll rose to eight after a student and another victim later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Over 20 others remain injured.
Investigating officers confirmed that the legally registered weapon and ammunition belonged to the shooter’s grandfather and had been taken from his bedroom. Forensic analysis indicated the suspect acted with precision, hitting vital targets. Prime Minister Anutin remarked that the assault appeared heavily calculated, while law enforcement revealed the teen’s digital devices contained archived material related to historic school shootings in the United States.
Relatives expressed shock, describing the youth as soft-spoken and reclusive, noting he spent significant time playing video games indoors.
Addressing the tragedy, Prime Minister Anutin stated that proposed legislation will sharply limit public firearm carriage, restricting permission almost exclusively to active-duty government officers. While Thailand enforces strict legal penalties for unlicensed firearms, enforcement challenges persist in a country holding an estimated 10.3 million civilian firearms—roughly four million of which are unregistered.