Authorities confirmed that nine people were killed, including the gunman, after a 14-year-old boy carried out a shooting rampage that began at his home and ended at a well-known school in Nonthaburi, outside Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 7, 2026. The teenager shot himself after the attack, and the toll climbed to nine on Aug. 8, when a wounded 12-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
More than 20 people sustained injuries, with 14 still receiving hospital treatment and seven listed in critical condition, officials said. The eight victims were the shooter’s two grandparents, killed at their residence, five school staff members and the 12-year-old girl, the only student to die. Most of those wounded ranged from 12 to 14 years old.
What Happened During the Attack
Royal Thai Police spokesman Police Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwphan said evidence suggests the boy killed his grandparents before heading to class as usual just after 10 a.m. Once inside his classroom, he began firing, then moved through hallways and other rooms while continuing to shoot.
The teen resided with his grandparents following his parents’ divorce. Both parents were brought to a police station for interviews on Friday.
National police chief Gen. Kittiratt Phanphet told reporters forensic analysis showed the shooter demonstrated precise marksmanship, hitting vital organs with several bullets. The boy discharged more than 20 shots, authorities said, and officers discovered over 30 rounds still in his possession after he killed himself. The firearm belonged to his grandfather, police confirmed, and no indication emerged that it was obtained unlawfully. Investigators later removed computer equipment and boxes from the shared home.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul characterized the assault as “well prepared” with “clear steps and clear goals,” adding the attacker had “more than 30” bullets remaining when he ended his own life. Police have not disclosed a motive, and the probe continues.
Witness Accounts of the Tragedy
A seventh-grade girl in her school uniform told the BBC that her teacher was mid-sentence when the gunman emerged and started shooting. She and other students scrambled over the school fence to flee. Her mother recounted that the girl said upon reuniting: “I thought I’d never see you again.”
One student initially confused the gunfire for firecrackers, so sudden was the outbreak of violence. Video showed panicked students and staff members running from the grounds. Officials warned the public to avoid the area and told anyone still inside to hide and await emergency responders. The school posted an appeal for blood donations on social media, while nearby schools dismissed students ahead of schedule.
History and Status of the School
Debsirin School opened its doors in Bangkok in 1885 and ranks among Thailand’s most distinguished secondary institutions, with multiple branches nationwide. Former prime ministers, diplomats and athletes number among its notable graduates. The Nonthaburi location where the massacre unfolded lies roughly an hour from the capital.
Calls for Stricter Firearms Laws
This attack represents Thailand’s second shooting incident at a school so far this year and has fueled intense pressure for stricter gun ownership regulations. Current law carries penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment for illegal firearms possession, yet Thailand maintains one of Southeast Asia’s highest civilian gun ownership rates. Officials estimate roughly 40 percent of civilian-held guns in the country are illegal.
Prime Minister Anutin vowed to pursue legislation limiting gun-carrying privileges solely to government officials performing their duties. “I don’t just feel sorry for the victims but I feel sorry that this happened,” Anutin said. “How can this happen in our country?”
The sight of children fleeing over fences from a peer armed with a relative’s weapon has crystallized demands for immediate action on firearm access and campus safety across the nation.
