A 14-year-old student killed eight people, including his grandparents and six others at a school near Bangkok, before taking his own life in Thailand's deadliest mass shooting since 2022, police said on Friday.
The attack began at the suspect's home in Nonthaburi province, where he fatally shot his grandparents using a firearm belonging to his grandfather, authorities said.
The teenager then went to Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, where he opened fire, killing six people before shooting himself.
Police said the suspect fired at least 26 rounds and was found carrying 34 additional rounds of ammunition.
According to National Police spokesperson Lieutenant General Trairong Phophan, 15 people were injured in the attack. The victims included both teachers and students.
Chaos at the school
Witnesses described scenes of panic as students fled classrooms while emergency responders evacuated the injured.
One 18-year-old student told Reuters he initially mistook the gunfire for firecrackers.
"I didn't think it was a gun at first. There were many shots... then it went quiet, then it started again," he said.
Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said rescue teams entered the school while the shooting was still underway.
He said responders found a male teacher dead on an upper floor and a female teacher suffering gunshot wounds before discovering the suspect, who had shot himself.
Rescuers attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before he was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Second school shooting this year
Thailand's Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed that both teachers and students were among those killed.
The incident marks the second school shooting in Thailand this year, following a February attack in Hat Yai in which a teacher was killed and a student injured.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to the victims' families, calling the shooting "terrible" and saying he was saddened that such violence had occurred in Thailand.
Gun violence remains a concern
Thailand has experienced several high-profile mass shootings in recent years despite tighter gun control measures introduced after a 2023 shopping mall shooting carried out by another 14-year-old.
Authorities imposed stricter licensing rules, import restrictions and mental health assessments for gun owners following that attack.
According to the Small Arms Survey, Thailand has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia, with an estimated 10.3 million firearms in civilian hands.
