- The alleged gunman, another 14-year-old student, killed three teachers and two school officials before turning the gun on himself, over a period of about 40 minutes.
- In total, nine people were killed and 23 wounded, making it Thailand's worst mass shooting since 2022.
- The tragedy began hours earlier when the alleged gunman shot dead his grandparents at their home, then took a bus to the school, 18 km (11 miles) away, and started shooting just before 10 a.m. (0300 GMT).
- Khim described the terror in the classroom, including moving desks to block the door, turning off lights, and huddling near windows, and later telling her mother, "Mom, don't call me, because the ringtone might go off".
- Police said the alleged shooter used at least 26 bullets, with another 34 rounds found in his possession.
- Khim's mother, Kwan, a 52-year-old nurse, received a panicked call from her older daughter about the shooting and, based on student chat group conversations, assessed the shooter was likely using a handgun.
- Kwan called an emergency hotline and provided real-time information about her daughter's location, but the call with her daughter cut off; she prayed until her daughter called back unharmed, and the family was later reunited.
A 14-year-old student initiated a tragic shooting spree at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bangkok, resulting in the deaths of three teachers and two school officials before he turned the gun on himself. The incident unfolded on Friday morning, with the shooter having previously killed his grandparents at their home.13
The chaos began just before 10 a.m. (0300 GMT) when the shooter, armed with at least 26 bullets and an additional 34 rounds in his possession, opened fire. Witnesses described the harrowing scene, with one student, Khim, recalling, “I heard multiple gunshots and felt like we weren't going to survive.” Students barricaded themselves in classrooms, fearing for their lives.456
Khim's mother, a nurse, received a panicked call from her daughter during the shooting. She advised her to count the shots, estimating that the shooter might be using a handgun. “Count the shots to see if he's out,” she urged. The call abruptly ended, leaving her in a state of prayer until Khim called back, unharmed.
This incident marks Thailand's deadliest mass shooting since 2022, reigniting discussions on firearms control in a nation known for its high rate of gun ownership. The tragedy has left the community in shock, with calls for urgent reforms to prevent such violence in the future.
“The gunman first shot his grandparents at dawn, then took a bus 18 km to the school, firing at least 26 bullets with 34 more rounds found on him. The attack, Thailand's worst since 2022, has reignited debate over firearms control in the nation.”
The Star
