Thailand school shooting investigators say the 14-year-old attacker watched violent content online and had shown a long interest in guns.
The Thailand school shooting investigation has deepened after police said the 14-year-old attacker watched violent content online and had shown an interest in firearms for two years.
The teenager allegedly killed his grandparents at their home on Friday before going to Debsirin Nonthaburi School outside Bangkok. Police say he then killed six people at the school before turning the gun on himself.
More than 20 people were injured in the attack, which Reuters described as Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022.
Atthapol Anusit, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1, said witness interviews showed the boy had been studying firearms for about one to two years.
Police also said the teenager used social media to learn about firearms. Investigators are now examining his online activity as they try to understand what led to the attack.
Thailand School Shooting Probe Examines Warning Signs
Police have interviewed 17 witnesses. Officers also recovered a firearm, spent cartridge cases and a personal computer from the crime scenes.
A knife was found in the boy’s bag.
After examining the computer, investigators found that the teenager had watched social media content involving violence, Atthapol said. However, police have found no evidence that he had practised shooting.
Authorities also revealed that a teacher confiscated a BB gun from the student last year after he brought it to school.
The boy had lived with his grandparents for 12 years after his parents separated.
His mother told Reuters she had seen no obvious signs of trouble. She described her son as bright and cheerful and said he behaved normally.
She also said she had previously asked whether he had been bullied. According to her, he repeatedly told her that nothing unusual had happened.
Government Promises New School Safety Measures
Thailand’s Ministry of Education said it will develop new school safety protocols over the next three months.
The plans include mental health screening, systems to refer at-risk people to specialists and drills for emergency response procedures.
Officials also plan stronger anti-bullying measures and better checks designed to prevent dangerous items from being brought into schools.
The shooting has again intensified debate over firearm controls in Thailand, where civilian gun ownership is high compared with much of Southeast Asia.
The boy’s mother said she last saw him during a recent school holiday. When she heard about the shooting, she did not know her son was the attacker.
She said she sent him messages and tried to call because she was worried.
The mother later apologised for her son’s actions and said the family was devastated.
Police have not said that violent online material caused the shooting. The investigation is continuing as authorities examine the teenager’s background, access to weapons and the warning signs that emerged before the attack.
