A 14-year-old boy killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 others in a shooting in Thailand on Friday, before dying by suicide, according to government officials. The attack, described as the country’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly four years, began at the home of the suspect’s grandparents and continued at his school outside Bangkok.
Authorities said the teenager first fatally shot his grandparents, with whom he lived, then traveled to Debsirin Nonthaburi School. At the school, he killed at least five teachers and staff members. No students were killed. Nine of the wounded remained in critical condition.
Videos from the school showed students sheltering beneath tables, barricaded classrooms and spent ammunition. One student told the BBC that a teacher was shot while speaking with her.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the gunman had more than 30 rounds of ammunition when he took his own life. Investigators said the firearm belonged to his grandfather and was legally registered. Police reported that the teenager had searched online for information about mass shootings.
Officials said interviews with a close friend suggested that the suspect had experienced academic pressure. Anutin said the teenager appeared to have selected specific targets and followed a plan. His father told CNN that he had seen no signs of violence and did not understand the motive.
Following the attack, officials announced plans to strengthen school security, provide financial assistance to victims’ families and survivors, and introduce mental health support for teachers and students. Anutin proposed restricting gun carrying to government officials on duty.
Thailand has among Southeast Asia’s highest civilian gun ownership rates. The country experienced major shootings in 2022, when a former police officer killed more than 30 people at a daycare center, and in 2023, when a teenager killed two people at a Bangkok mall.