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ADVERTThailand has been plunged into mourning after a teenage gunman went on a deadly shooting rampage that left at least seven people dead and more than 30 others injured, according to the Prime Minister.
The shocking attack has reignited concerns over gun ownership, school safety and the availability of firearms to young people in a country that has endured a series of devastating mass shootings.
The shooting took place in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok, sending students, teachers and residents scrambling for safety as gunfire erupted.
Authorities said the teenage suspect was armed with a handgun believed to have belonged to his grandfather. Investigators are examining how the weapon came into the teenager’s possession and what prompted the deadly attack.
The teenager reportedly killed his grandparents before travelling to a school, where he allegedly opened fire. Several members of the school staff were among those killed.
ADVERTThe suspect later died after turning the gun on himself.
Students hid as gunfire erupted
The attack plunged the school into chaos, with terrified students and teachers rushing to classrooms and other areas they believed would provide protection.
Some students reportedly hid under desks while others locked themselves inside rooms as emergency responders converged on the scene.
More than 30 people were injured, with several reportedly sustaining serious or critical injuries. Hospitals in the area were placed on alert as ambulances transported victims for urgent medical treatment.
The scale of the attack has left families anxiously searching for information about their loved ones while authorities work to establish the full sequence of events.
Prime Minister: Attack appeared prepared
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed shock over the killings and said preliminary information suggested the attack had been prepared in advance.
Investigators are examining the teenager’s background, his access to the firearm and possible motives.
Officials have reportedly considered a number of factors, including pressure facing the teenager, but authorities have cautioned that no definitive motive has yet been established.
The investigation is expected to focus heavily on how a minor was able to gain access to a functioning handgun and ammunition.
Thailand’s gun crisis returns to the spotlight
The massacre has once again brought Thailand’s gun-control problem into sharp focus.
Thailand has experienced several high-profile mass shootings in recent years, despite repeated government promises to strengthen controls over firearms.
One of the country’s darkest episodes occurred in 2022, when a former police officer attacked a childcare centre in northeastern Thailand, killing more than 30 people, most of them children.
In 2023, another teenage shooter opened fire at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon shopping centre, killing three people and injuring others.
The latest tragedy has therefore revived a familiar national debate: whether existing firearms regulations are sufficient to prevent weapons from reaching people who should never have access to them.
Calls for tougher gun controls
The latest shooting is expected to intensify pressure on the Thai government to tighten firearms regulations and improve enforcement.
Beyond gun control, the tragedy is also likely to fuel debate over school security, youth mental health, family access to firearms and the warning signs that may precede violent attacks.
For the families of those killed, however, the policy debate offers little comfort in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy that has shattered an ordinary school day.
As investigators piece together the events leading to the shooting, Thailand is once again confronting the devastating consequences of firearms falling into the wrong hands.
The central question now is whether the latest bloodshed will lead to substantive action—or become another grim chapter in Thailand’s growing catalogue of mass shootings.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Source: BBC
