Six killed in Thailand school shooting, 15 others injured

At least six people were killed and 15 others injured after a student opened fire at a high school on the outskirts of Bangkok on Friday, Thai police said.

The attack took place at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, northwest of the Thai capital, according to Royal Thai Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan.

Three teachers and three students were killed in the shooting. Fifteen other people were injured, two of whom were reported to be in critical condition.

The suspected shooter was also taken to hospital in serious condition, Trairong told Thai broadcaster Channel 3.

Police have yet to establish a motive for the attack and an investigation is under way. Authorities believe the firearm used in the shooting may have been taken from a member of the student's family.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said he had instructed officials to ensure that those affected by the attack received assistance.

Images from outside the school in the aftermath of the shooting showed students and others comforting one another as police officers and emergency personnel moved through the premises.

One witness told reporters that students had sheltered inside a classroom after hearing gunfire coming from another building. They remained there until police officers arrived, knocked on the classroom door and provided them with a safe route out of the building.

Friday's attack comes months after another shooting at a school in southern Thailand.

In February, a 17-year-old allegedly took a firearm from police before opening fire at a public high school. The teenager briefly held people hostage during an attack lasting about two hours, leaving one person dead and two others injured.

Thailand has also witnessed other high-profile shootings involving young people in recent years. In 2023, a 14-year-old boy was accused of opening fire at a major shopping centre in Bangkok.