At least seven people have died following a school shooting on the outskirts of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. The suspected gunman, a 14-year-old student, is also among the dead.
The attack occurred at the prestigious Debsirin School in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province.
Police confirmed that the situation was active as of 10:27 local time (04:27 BST), prompting officers to issue emergency warnings on Facebook advising those trapped inside to hide securely and await rescue.
BBC reports indicated the gunman was located inside the school’s computer room.
Dechrapee Kongdee, the Nonthaburi provincial police chief, confirmed that the shooter was a male student in the ninth grade, an age group that is typically around 14 years old in Thailand.
Authorities stated that the suspect had died, though it remains unclear whether he took his own life or was shot by police.
While early conflicting reports from broadcaster Thai PBS cited two deaths and 15 injuries, and Reuters reported a teacher was killed before the shooter killed himself, police at the scene later confirmed that six people had died in total.
A seventh-grade student who managed to flee the building described seeing the shooter walk from room to room before shooting a teacher standing in front of her classroom.
Another student recounted that he initially mistook the rapid gunfire for firecrackers or loud banging. Visibly distraught school staff and students were evacuated as emergency responders arrived, with several ambulances parked in the school’s sports grounds.
Following the attack, at least two neighbouring schools, including preschool, suspended classes to allow students to go home early.
Speaking from the Government House, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed his condolences. “This is really bad; it shouldn’t have happened. I don’t just feel sorry for the victims, but I feel sorry that this happened. How can this happen in our country,” he said, adding that this is why the government does not permit citizens to possess firearms.
The school where the shooting took place is a branch of the Debsirin School, a highly prestigious secondary education network in Thailand.
The original school was founded in Bangkok by King Chulalongkorn in 1885 and has educated numerous prominent figures, including diplomats, athletes, and several former prime ministers.
Although Thailand has strict gun laws where illegal possession of a firearm carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years, the country has one of the highest civilian gun ownership rates in Southeast Asia. It has experienced multiple deadly shootings in recent years.
In February, an 18-year-old gunman shot a school principal and a student during a school siege in southern Thailand, resulting in the principal’s death. Last year, another five people were killed during a shooting at a food market in Bangkok.
