Tragedy at a prestigious high school in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, has reignited questions about gun control in a country with a high rate of civilian firearm ownership.
At least four people were killed and 15 students injured in a shooting that occurred on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Debsirin Nonthaburi High School in the province of the same name, north of Bangkok. The suspected attacker, identified as a 14-year-old student at the school, was also found dead. The news was confirmed by Thailand's Deputy Interior Minister, Polapee Suwunchwee, to local television station Thai PBS.
According to Deputy Minister Suwunchwee, among the deceased are two students and two teachers. The fifteen injured students did not sustain gunshot wounds but were injured during a panicked escape from the scene. Reports on the total number of casualties vary; while Dawn reports at least four dead, N1 Serbia, citing police sources and the BBC, states that at least six people were killed.
The circumstances surrounding the suspect's death are also subject to conflicting reports. Some sources claim that police fired and killed the attacker, while others suggest he took his own life. So far, there is no official confirmation of either version of events.
Thailand's Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, did not hide his shock at the tragedy. "This is such a horrific incident. This should never have happened. How could this happen in our country?" he told reporters at the Government House in Bangkok. Deputy Minister Suwunchwee added that the suspect used a pistol and that the Ministry of Interior is investigating how the minor obtained it.
Thailand has long struggled with a high rate of gun ownership. It is estimated that around 10 million firearms are in circulation, meaning roughly one in every seven residents owns a gun. Despite past promises to tighten laws, deadly incidents keep recurring. As recently as February 2026, a teenager opened fire at a school in the south of the country, killing the principal and wounding two students, using a weapon stolen from a police officer.
Today's tragedy evokes memories of one of the worst massacres in Thailand's history. In 2022, a former police officer armed with a gun and a knife stormed a daycare center in the north of the country, killing 24 children and 12 adults. Photos from today's scene show the suspect in a purple school uniform with a black bag over his shoulder, while several spent shell casings are visible on the floor.
Traffic near Debsirin Nonthaburi School came to a near standstill, an AFP journalist reported, as parents hurried to pick up their children after the incident.
