Thai PM pledges legislative overhaul after school shooting leaves eight dead
The Prime Minister described the incident in Nonthaburi as a failure of governance, vowing to tighten controls in a nation with one of Southeast Asia’s highest rates of civilian gun ownership.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has committed to introducing stricter gun control legislation in the wake of a fatal shooting at Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, which resulted in eight deaths and 22 injuries. The attack, carried out by a 14-year-old student, has prompted the government to reconsider public firearm regulations in a country where approximately 10.3 million firearms are held by civilians, with an estimated four million believed to be unregistered.
The incident began at approximately 05:00 local time on Friday when the teenager killed his grandparents at their home in Nonthaburi. Police Colonel Thadsakorn Konthong confirmed that the weapon and ammunition belonged to the victim’s grandfather, with forensic signs indicating the firearm had been retrieved from the grandfather’s bedroom. The gun was legally registered and held a valid permit. Following the domestic killings, the teenager boarded a school bus carrying the weapon and dozens of bullets before arriving at Debsirin School.
The student attended his first class at 08:30 and his second at 09:20. Approximately thirty minutes into the second class, the shooting commenced. Police Major General Dejrapee Kongdee reported that the attacker first shot teachers on the sixth floor, killing three, before descending the stairs where he killed the deputy director and the director’s secretary. The teenager subsequently took his own life. Police found the attacker around 10:40, with National Police Chief Gen Kittiratt Phanphet noting that forensic analysis showed the shots were accurate, hitting vital spots.
Initial reports indicated five fatalities and 23 injuries, but subsequent updates from Thailand’s public broadcaster and the Bangkok Post confirmed a student had died from their injuries, bringing the total death toll to eight. The Prime Minister characterised the attack as “well prepared” with “clear steps and clear goals,” expressing dismay that such an event could occur within the country’s borders.
In response to the tragedy, Anutin Charnvirakul announced that new legislation would restrict the carrying of firearms in public spaces to government officials on duty only. This proposal builds upon measures introduced during his tenure as interior minister, which included a short-term ban on new gun licenses and import restrictions. Local media reported that police had found videos of school shootings in the United States on the teenager’s devices, while family members described him as quiet and well-behaved, with no prior indication of planning the attack.
