Relatives on Saturday retrieved the bodies of at least seven victims from a shooting incident that occurred Friday outside Bangkok. The deceased included a 14-year-old student, his two grandparents, and five school staff members.
The student opened fire around 10 a.m. Friday at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok. Authorities believe he killed his grandparents at their home earlier that morning before proceeding to the school. He died by suicide at the school, officials said.
Sixteen people were hospitalized following the incident, with seven in critical condition as of Saturday. The majority of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old, according to the Ministry of Health.
Bodies were collected from Bangkok's Institute of Forensic Medicine by early Saturday afternoon. Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of the institute, stated that most victims sustained a single fatal gunshot wound to vital areas. The wound on the alleged shooter was consistent with the weapon used. More detailed forensic findings are pending.
Officials identified the weapon as a small, compact firearm legally registered to the shooter's grandfather. Reports suggest the boy, who lived with his grandparents, had shown signs of stress related to school, though some relatives reported being unaware of any specific troubles.
In response to the violence, Debsirin Nonthaburi School suspended classes from August 10 to August 14, with staff instructed to work remotely.
The incident has brought renewed attention to gun ownership in Thailand, which has one of the highest rates in Asia. Data from 2017 indicated civilian gun ownership at approximately 15.1 guns per 100 people. According to 2023 statistics, Thailand records 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, a rate that is relatively high within Asia.
While indiscriminate mass shootings are uncommon in Thailand, the country has experienced an increase in high-profile shooting incidents in recent years. These include a February incident where a 17-year-old killed one person and wounded two others in a school attack in southern Thailand, and a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall involving a 14-year-old suspect.