Two dead, including gunman, at school shooting in Thailand

An outbreak of violence at a school in Thailand has left multiple people dead, including a student gunman and teachers, prompting emergency security measures and drawing condemnation from national leadership.

The tragedy unfolded at the Debsirin Nonthaburi School, situated on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province. Initial reporting indicated that a student opened fire before taking their own life. Provincial authorities and emergency responders flooded the campus as students streamed out of the gates toward waiting ambulances, with photos circulated by emergency workers showing students leaving the grounds while ambulances operated, including one person lying down on a stretcher outside an ambulance and another attended to by a medic.

Media additions

Accounts of the exact toll varied across reports from the scene. Early local police briefings cited a lower casualty count with an unconfirmed number of deaths, while subsequent updates indicated a significantly higher total. Reports stated that the dead included teachers and students, alongside the teenage perpetrator, who turned the weapon on himself. Dechrapee Kongdee, chief of the Nonthaburi provincial police, identified the suspected shooter as a student and a ninth grade student. Lt. Col. Pasakorn Chaitawiwong, the head of the Plai Bang subdistrict police department, initially noted that the number of deaths was still unknown, while Lt. Col. Dechrapee Kongdee, Nonthaburi Provincial Police Commander, later confirmed casualties to Reuters and stated the suspected gunman had committed suicide, noting that among those injured were teachers and students.

As the campus was locked down, police issued urgent safety instructions via social media.

"Anyone trapped inside a building, hide, close everything tightly, and wait for rescue personnel to arrive,"

Police, Facebook post, via Manchestereveningnews

Students and school staff were seen running for safety after shots were fired. One student explained that he thought the gunshots were firecrackers, stating: I didn't think it was a gun at first, and adding, There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again.

The violence extended beyond the school grounds. In a further development, police inspecting the home of the teenage gunman discovered his grandfather and grandmother dead inside the residence. Investigators are examining the circumstances of their deaths, as well as how the youth gained access to the registered firearm used in the attack. Social media reports indicated the teenager had lived with his grandfather after his parents separated when he was young, and that multiple magazines and unused rounds of ammunition were found among the gunman’s belongings.

The school is part of a well-known secondary network with branches across the country, whose original campus was established by Thai King Chulalongkorn. The school enrolled approximately 3,100 students and 147 teachers during the academic year, according to district authorities.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed profound dismay over the incident.

"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,"

Anutin Charnvirakul, Thai Prime Minister, via Manchestereveningnews