Thai school shooting: 14-year-old kills 8, including teachers and students

A 14-year-old boy opened fire at a prestigious private school in Thailand, killing eight people including teachers, students, and his own grandparents before taking his own life. The shooting occurred at the Devdhevi Nonthaburi School on the outskirts of Bangkok.

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We thought it was fireworks at first. Then we heard 'bang, bang, bang,' and it seemed to go quiet for a moment, then the shooting started again.

Authorities reported that the suspect used a legally registered 9mm pistol belonging to his grandfather. He allegedly killed his grandparents at their home before proceeding to the school. The motive for the attack remains under investigation. The school announced it would close for five days following the incident.

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We weren't able to get out of the car, we had to crawl out. Anyway, we survived.

This is the second school shooting in Thailand this year, following a similar incident in February that left one teacher dead and one student injured. The recent tragedy has prompted Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to reaffirm the government's decision not to renew gun permits and to introduce new gun control legislation. The proposed law would restrict firearm ownership to government officials performing their duties.

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The reason I survived is because of the car we were in. The 360-degree airbags saved our lives.

Thailand has a high rate of civilian gun ownership, with an estimated 10.3 million firearms in circulation, many of which are unregistered. The country has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including a 2022 incident where a former police officer killed 36 people, mostly children, at a childcare center.

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I'm going to change my name to Kia Driver.