‘I thought I’d never see you again’: Thailand survivors recount school massacre

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - A bullet casing is pictured next to evidence identification equipment at the scene of the Debsirin Nonthaburi School massacre, north of Bangkok on August 7, 2026. — AFP pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Friday, 07 Aug 2026 4:39 PM MYT

BANGKOK, Aug 7 — The final moments before a deadly school shooting in Thailand unfolded in confusion and fear, with students fleeing classrooms as a teenage gunman moved through the campus and left eight people dead.

The victims included five teachers and three students at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, north of Bangkok, while the suspect also killed his grandparents before going to the school, local and international media reported today even as the case develops.

Police said the ninth-grade student used his grandfather’s 9mm handgun, and the weapon was taken to the school before the attack.

His grandfather, who was also a teacher, was among the two relatives found dead at the family home before the school shooting, the BBC reported.

Authorities also said the suspect was found with at least 34 additional rounds of ammunition, adding to questions over how the shooting was carried out and whether he had planned the attack in advance.

The suspect was later found dead, with authorities saying he died after turning the gun on himself.

Fifteen people were injured in the attack, including two who remained in critical condition.

Witness accounts suggested the shooter may have deliberately targeted people inside the school, although police have yet to establish a motive.

Relatives of a teacher who was killed at Debsirin Nonthaburi School are led to an ambulance in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi province north of Bangkok, on August 7, 2026. — AFP pic

An eighth-grade student told the BBC she was standing near her teacher when the shooting happened.

“I was standing in front of the teacher when she was shot. She was talking to me when (the gunman) showed up and shot her,” she said.

“I couldn’t see anything but a [cloud] of dust. He walked from room to room. My desk was very close to the teacher. I had to climb over the school fence to escape with other friends.”

The student’s mother said her daughter later told her: “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Another student told Reuters he initially thought the sound of gunfire was firecrackers or someone hitting something.

“I didn’t think it was a gun at first,” he said.

“There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again.”

Police said the attack began shortly after 10am at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, triggering panic as staff evacuated students and authorities searched the premises.

The school belongs to the Debsirin network, one of Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions, with its original Bangkok campus founded in 1885 by Thai King Chulalongkorn.

Thai authorities said the teenager lived with his grandparents, who were found dead at home before the school attack.

Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwanchawee said police had found evidence suggesting the suspect was an avid gamer, while a teacher described him as a “good kid with good study records” who was not known to be aggressive.

Thai police said they were investigating the shooting to determine the cause and proceed with legal action.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear.