BANGKOK, Thailand – Major international media outlets including CNN, BBC, DW, Sky News, CNA, Reuters and AFP have reported on the deadly shooting at a well-known school in Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi, after the attack left at least six people dead and more than 15 injured. CNN reported that the shooting took place at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, a well-known secondary school with around 3,000 students. Police said the victims included teachers and students, while the teenage suspect also died following the attack.
AFP reported that many of those injured were hurt while attempting to flee the scene rather than directly from gunfire. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed shock over the incident, saying the attack was a tragedy that should never have happened. “It is a terrible incident. It should not have happened. How could something like this happen in our country?” Anutin told reporters at Government House. Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau told international media that the situation had been brought under control.
Images provided to CNN by Thai police showed a black handgun believed to have been used in the attack, along with numerous rounds of ammunition scattered on a classroom floor. Police said the firearm was initially believed to belong to a family member, but investigators were still trying to determine how the student gained access to the weapon. The suspect was reported to have lived with relatives rather than his parents. Thailand has some of the stricter firearm laws in Southeast Asia, although concerns over gun-related violence remain.
According to 2019 data from the Global Burden of Disease study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, Thailand ranked second among Southeast Asian countries for firearm-related crime rates, behind only the Philippines. Videos that spread widely online showed students hiding under classroom desks while gunshots could be heard nearby. Other footage showed students running out of the school as staff members helped evacuate students from the area. Singapore-based CNA reported that one student told Reuters he initially thought the sound was fireworks. “I didn’t think it was a gun at first,” the student said, describing repeated loud bangs before the shooting paused and later resumed.
The attack has also drawn comparisons with frequent school shootings in the United States. CNN reported that at least 31 school shootings had occurred in the US during the first half of 2026, including incidents at both university campuses and secondary schools. An analysis by CNN using data from the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety found that US school shootings this year had resulted in at least 22 deaths and 23 injuries. The Nonthaburi attack has renewed international attention on school safety, firearm access and measures to prevent similar tragedies.
