Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to introduce stricter gun control laws following a 14‑year‑old’s shoot‑out on the outskirts of Bangkok that left eight dead and 22 injured.
The teenager began the attack by shooting his 73‑year‑old grandfather and 74‑year‑old grandmother at their two‑storey flat around 05:00 local time. He then boarded a school bus carrying the firearm and dozens of bullets and proceeded to Debsirin School, where he killed five teachers and the school’s deputy director before taking his own life.
Police said the gun and ammunition were owned by the teen’s grandfather and were legally registered, though it had been placed in a sealed storage box that the police claimed had been searched for a long time. The incident exposed gaps in the enforcement of Thailand’s already strict gun‑possession laws, which punish illegal possession with up to ten years in prison.
The government plans to restrict the carrying of firearms in public to only government officials in official duties, a move that Anutin said was “necessary”. He added that the attack was “well prepared with clear steps and clear goals” and lamented that such violence could occur in Thailand.
Investigators noted that the teenager was known for spending much of his time indoors, playing violent video games and watching footage of school shootings abroad, indicating a possible influence from abroad.
Debsirin School, founded in Bangkok in 1885, is one of Thailand’s top secondary schools and has produced many prominent figures, including several prime ministers. The school and surrounding area were sealed off by police as they processed the grave evidence.
The case has sparked a nationwide debate on gun ownership, with around 10.3 million firearms in civilian possession in Thailand, and roughly four million believed to be illicit.
