'I Had to Climb Over School Fence to Escape': Thai Students Recount Horror after Teen Kills Seven
- Thai students have described climbing fences, hiding under desks and fleeing classrooms after a 14-year-old gunman opened fire at their school
- Police said the teenage suspect killed his grandparents before attacking the school, where five teachers lost their lives
- Thailand's prime minister pledged tougher gun control measures after the attack left more than 30 people injured
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Students who survived Friday, August 7's deadly school shooting near Thailand's capital, Bangkok, have shared harrowing accounts of hiding under desks, hearing bullets strike classroom floors and climbing over school fences to escape after a 14-year-old pupil allegedly killed his grandparents before opening fire on teachers.
Source: Getty Images
The attack at Debsirin Nonthaburi School left seven people dead, including five teachers and the gunman, who police said later turned the weapon on himself. More than 30 people were injured, with 13 still receiving treatment in hospital, according to Thailand's health ministry.
Authorities said the suspect first shot and killed his grandparents at their home using a 9mm handgun registered to his grandfather before travelling to the school, where the violence unfolded shortly after classes began.
For many pupils, the terrifying moments inside the school are unlikely to fade.
Thai school shooting survivors recount terrifying escape
A female student told the BBC she was standing in front of a teacher when the educator was shot. Realising she had no safe route through the school grounds, she climbed over the perimeter fence to escape.
"I had to climb over the school fence to escape," she said.
Source: Getty Images
Another student, 17-year-old Pawarisa Maylissa, described hearing repeated gunfire from the floor above her classroom.
"It seemed the suspect was on the floor directly above us. I could even hear bullets hitting the floor," she said.
"I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams."
Another pupil initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks before realising the danger.
"I didn't think it was a gun at first," the student told Reuters. "Then I heard many shots. Bang, bang, bang."
A 31-year-old teacher, who asked not to be identified, recalled seeing frightened pupils sprinting across the school compound.
"Then I saw pupils run out, screaming. They said, 'There's a shooting!'" he said.
He later discovered that one of the victims was a close friend.
"One of the teachers killed was my friend. We attended this school together as students before becoming teachers here."
Emergency responder Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said rescue teams encountered wounded students with gunshot injuries to their arms, backs and chests as they entered the school.
After helping victims, rescuers rushed to the suspected gunman, who still had a pulse after apparently shooting himself. CPR was administered before he was transported to hospital, where he later died.
Police said forensic investigators found that many of the suspect's shots struck vital parts of the victims' bodies, suggesting a high degree of accuracy.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the attack as "well prepared", saying investigators believe the teenager planned his movements in advance and still had more than 30 rounds of ammunition remaining when he turned the gun on himself.
Authorities said information gathered from one of the suspect's close friends suggested he had been experiencing stress related to his studies, although police stressed investigations into the motive remain ongoing.
The prime minister also confirmed that police only discovered the bodies of the suspect's grandparents after officers searched his family home following the school attack.
Gun control debate follows Thailand school attack
The shooting has renewed debate over firearm ownership in Thailand, which has one of the highest civilian gun ownership rates in Southeast Asia despite existing licensing requirements.
In response, Anutin pledged to introduce a new firearms control law that would restrict the carrying of guns to government officials while on duty, although he did not outline whether ownership rules would also be tightened.
The tragedy is the latest in a string of deadly gun attacks to hit Thailand in recent years, including a 2023 shopping mall shooting carried out by another 14-year-old boy and the 2022 childcare centre massacre that claimed 37 lives, most of them children.
Debsirin Nonthaburi School has suspended all activities and announced it will remain closed next week as grieving families, teachers and students begin mourning one of the deadliest school shootings in the country's recent history.
Thailand lists 3 African countries whose citizens can get visa on arrival
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Thailand has confirmed that only three African countries are eligible for its visa on arrival scheme, leaving the vast majority of the continent's travellers still required to obtain a visa before departure.
According to the Thai Consulate, the updated visa on arrival policy took effect on July 15, 2024, covering nationals of 31 countries and territories who may apply at immigration checkpoints upon arrival for tourism purposes.
Source: Legit.ng
