Thailand’s prime minister has pledged to introduce tougher gun control measures after a 14-year-old opened fire in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, killing eight people and injuring 22 others.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the proposed legislation would restrict the carrying of firearms in public, allowing only government officials on duty to carry guns. Speaking after the attack, he said the tragedy “shouldn’t have happened” and questioned how such violence could take place in Thailand.
“I don’t just feel sorry for the victims but I feel sorry that this happened. How can this happen in our country,” Mr Anutin said on Friday.
Police said the attacker first killed his grandparents at the two-storey flat where they lived together before travelling to Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, where he was a student. He then shot members of staff at the school before turning the gun on himself.
Thai media later reported that a student had died from their injuries, bringing the number of victims killed in the attack to eight. The attacker’s death is not included in that toll.
A Thai police official said the teenager’s 73-year-old grandfather and 74-year-old grandmother were each killed by a single shot to the head at around 05:00 local time on Friday, which was 22:00 GMT on Thursday.
Police Colonel Thadsakorn Konthong said the firearm and bullets used in the attack belonged to the teenager’s grandfather. An initial inspection found signs that the gun had been searched for inside the grandfather’s bedroom, he said.
International and local media have reported that the firearm was legally registered and had a permit.
After killing his grandparents, the teenager boarded a school bus while carrying the firearm and dozens of bullets, Reuters reported. He then attended his first class at 08:30 and his second at 09:20.
Police said that around half an hour into the second class, the teenager drew the gun and began shooting. He is believed to have first opened fire on the sixth floor of the school, killing three teachers.
Police Major General Dejrapee Kongdee told Reuters that the attacker then moved down the stairs and encountered the school’s deputy director and the director’s secretary, who were going up to check on the situation.
“The attacker shot and killed both of them on the staircase,” he said.
Officers were deployed to the school while the shooting was still under way. Police found the attacker, who by then had shot himself, at around 10:40, Maj Gen Dejrapee said.
Five people were reported to have been killed immediately at the school and at least 23 were wounded. Thailand’s public broadcaster and the Bangkok Post later reported that an eighth victim had died.
National police chief Gen Kittiratt Phanphet told reporters that forensic officers had found the attacker’s shots were “quite accurate”, with several hitting vital parts of the body.
Mr Anutin described the attack as “well prepared”, saying it had “clear steps and clear goals”.
According to local media, police searched devices belonging to the teenager and found several videos relating to school shootings in the United States. Authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive.
Family members quoted by local media described the teenager as quiet and well behaved. His uncle told Thai media that he spent much of his time indoors playing violent video games and rarely went outside, adding that there had been no indication he was planning the attack.
The teenager had been living with his grandparents because his parents were divorced, according to reports.
The attack has renewed scrutiny of gun ownership and enforcement in Thailand. The country has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in South East Asia, with around 10.3 million firearms believed to be in civilian possession. About four million of those are thought to be owned illegally.
Thailand already has strict gun laws on paper, with illegal possession of firearms punishable by up to 10 years in prison. However, enforcement has long been cited as a challenge.
During his time as interior minister, Mr Anutin introduced several gun control measures, including a short-term ban on new gun licences and restrictions on imports.
His latest pledge would focus on carrying firearms in public. Under the proposal outlined by the prime minister, only government officials carrying out official duties would be allowed to carry guns in public places.
Debsirin School was founded in Bangkok in 1885 and is regarded as one of Thailand’s leading secondary schools, with branches across the country. Its alumni include diplomats, athletes and several former prime ministers.
Police have been examining the school and other locations connected to the teenager as part of the investigation.
