Shooting at a school in Thailand: five dead and twenty-three injured

A teenager opened fire Friday at a school in a Bangkok suburb, killing at least five people after shooting his grandparents at their home. The suspected gunman also died.

The attack occurred at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in the Bang Kruai district, on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok. According to National Police spokesman Trairong Phiwphan, the suspect first killed his two grandparents at their home before going to the school and opening fire. At least 23 students and staff members were injured.

Authorities initially reported six deaths before revising the toll to five. The suspected shooter was found dead at the scene. Police indicated he fired at least 26 shots and was carrying 34 additional rounds of ammunition. The weapon used belonged to his grandfather.

Students identified the shooter as a teenager enrolled at the school. Police confirmed he was a student, without providing further details about his identity. An 18-year-old student described the moment of the shooting: “I didn’t think it was a gun at first. There were a lot of shots: bang bang bang. Then silence. Then it started again.”

The school had approximately 3,100 students and 147 teachers during the 2025 school year, according to district officials. Images released by emergency services show students evacuating the premises while ambulances responded to the scene.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul offered his condolences and announced that he had ordered the relevant services to take care of the victims.

This shooting comes amid a backdrop of recurring gun violence in Thailand. Last February, a teacher was killed and a student wounded at a school in the Hat Yai district in the south of the country. In October 2022, a former police officer massacred dozens of people, including children, in Nong Bua Lamphu province during a gun and knife attack.

Thailand has strict gun laws: illegal possession of a firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Nevertheless, the country has approximately 10,3 million firearms in circulation, nearly 40% of which are believed to be unregistered. Following several mass shootings in recent years, regulations have been tightened, notably with the requirement of a medical examination for any gun purchase or license renewal.