Thailand has been left shaken following a deadly shooting at a school in Nonthaburi on Friday, leaving nine people dead and at least 22 injured.
As the country comes to terms with the attack, investigators are continuing to piece together what happened inside the school and what may have driven the teenager to carry out the shooting.
The shooting began at around 10am on August 7 at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, sending students and teachers running for safety as gunfire echoed across the campus.
Teachers moved quickly to evacuate students as police, rescue workers and tactical officers rushed to the school. Some students fled from buildings, while others locked themselves inside classrooms and sheltered until police secured the area.
Officers from Arintharaj 26 and Provincial Police Region 1 secured the school grounds as emergency medical teams treated the wounded and transported them to Phra Nangklao Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.
Authorities said nine people died in the attack, including five teachers, the 14-year-old suspect and his grandparents. The teenager died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At least 22 people were injured, with nine reported to be in critical condition. Those seriously wounded included two teachers and seven students.
While investigators worked to establish the sequence of events at the school, police also searched the teenager’s home in Bang Bua Thong district.
Deputy Interior Minister Phonphir Suwannachawi said preliminary findings indicated that the teenager may have killed his grandparents before travelling to school. He had reportedly been living with them after his parents separated when he was young.
How the Attack Unfolded
Investigators said the handgun used in the shooting was legally registered to the teenager’s grandfather, a retired teacher.
Police believe the teenager took the weapon from a locked cabinet at the family home, although authorities are still investigating how he gained access to it.
Investigators believe he took around 98 rounds of ammunition from the house. Police later recovered a large quantity of ammunition from his school bag, with more than 30 rounds reportedly remaining when the attack ended.
According to the preliminary investigation, the teenager attended his first class as normal before producing the handgun.
His first reported victim was a mathematics teacher who had been standing in for another teacher. The teenager then moved through the school, firing at teachers and students before police surrounded the campus.
One Grade 12 student said he initially mistook the sound of gunfire for bird scarers.
The situation became clear when another student shouted that a teacher had been shot. He and his classmates immediately locked their classroom door, switched off the lights and pushed desks and chairs against the entrance.
The students remained hidden for nearly 30 minutes before police entered the building and told them it was safe to leave.
The student said he had previously watched online videos about emergency survival techniques, which helped him react quickly during the attack. His classroom was left unharmed after the gunman passed by without entering.
A school janitor who witnessed part of the shooting said the teenager appeared calm as he walked between buildings carrying the handgun. The witness said he showed little visible reaction even after police arrived.
Investigators Examine Possible Motive
Police are examining the teenager’s computer, online activity and social media accounts as they try to understand what led to the shooting.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said preliminary findings suggested the teenager may have been under academic pressure and had planned the attack.
Investigators reportedly found evidence that he had researched previous mass shootings in the United States in the days before the incident. Authorities also said he had posted a photograph of the handgun on social media during the Songkran holiday.
Officials have stressed that no definitive motive has been established and that the investigation remains ongoing.
The attack has also left families and colleagues mourning the teachers who were killed.
The boyfriend of one of the teachers said the couple had embraced before she left for work that morning, as they did every day.
Relatives described her as kind and caring, saying she was well-liked by students and was not known for using harsh discipline.
Family members also said teachers at the school were aware that the teenager had special educational needs and had taken care to avoid upsetting him. They stressed, however, that this does not establish a motive for the shooting.
Government Orders Security Review
Prime Minister Anutin visited the school on Friday afternoon as police continued their investigation.
Describing the incident as a tragedy that had shocked the country, he ordered police to step up nationwide inspections targeting illegal firearm possession.
The government will also review security measures at schools and other public places in response to the attack.
Anutin pledged financial assistance and longer-term support for the families of those killed and injured through existing government compensation programmes.
As investigators continue examining the teenager’s background, access to the firearm and digital activity, authorities are still working to establish what prompted the attack.
