Teen Shooter Unleashes Fire on Thai School, Killing Five Teachers

In the first week of August, a 14‑year‑old student opened fire inside Debsirin School in nonthaburi, Thailand, killing five teachers and injuring more than 30 others, including students. The shooter used a 9mm handgun that investigators believe belonged to his grandfather.

“I was standing in front of the teacher when she was shot,” a seventh‑grade student told the BBC near the gates of the school. She was still in uniform, her mother beside her, as the gunman stalked from room to room. The incident began as a frantic rush of students streaming out of the school, followed by police and emergency responders.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” the young survivor recalled, still terrified after escaping over the school fence with other friends. Police later confirmed the shooter had killed his grandparents before turning his weapon on himself.

Paramedics and rescue workers were among the first to arrive, carrying wounded students to hospitals and pushing them into ambulances as crowds gathered, both shaken and angry. A rescue worker, Kiatikhun Verapongpradith, told Reuters he had seen students with gunshot wounds to the arm, back and chest.

Witnesses report the gunman was a “good student” with no history of aggression, according to a teacher at the school. The gun, a 9mm handgun, was found in the hands of the shooter and was described as being quite accurate, with several shots hitting vital spots, police said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said growing study pressures may have contributed to the tragedy. He noted that his grandmother was a teacher, who may have been strict. Sale restrictions had been tightened by the government, suspending new gun permits three years ago.

Gun control in Thailand remains under scrutiny. Despite licensing restrictions, it’s estimated that more than 7 million people own guns, with over a million unlicensed, and a thriving black market fuels access to weapons. The crisis has prompted calls for comprehensive reforms to ensure schools remain safe environments.

Law‑makers and community leaders are demanding urgent changes to prevent similar incidents in the future, saying that an act of violence in an educational institution should be a wake‑up call for society to review gun‑control measures. The shooting remains the deadliest mass‑shooting in Thailand in recent years and follows a February school siege that killed an 18‑year‑old school teacher and a student.