BANGKOK, Thailand — A school on the outskirts of Bangkok has reopened under heavy security weeks after a deadly shooting involving a 14-year-old student left seven people dead and more than 20 others injured.

The tragedy at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on August 7, 2026, shocked Thailand and reignited a national debate over gun ownership, school security and the pressures facing young people.

According to Reuters, the teenager first fatally shot his grandparents before going to the school, where teachers and staff were among those killed. The student later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A deadly attack that began at home
The violence unfolded on August 7.

Police said the 14-year-old used a firearm belonging to his grandfather. Before arriving at the school, he had already killed his grandparents at their home.

He then went to Debsirin Nonthaburi School, where students and teachers were present.

Once at the school, gunfire sent students running for safety as teachers and staff attempted to respond to the unfolding emergency.

Reuters reported that the teenager fired at least 26 rounds, while another 34 rounds were found at the scene. Emergency responders rushed to the school as the attack unfolded.

The gunman eventually shot himself and later died.

Five victims at the school
The school attack claimed the lives of five people, according to Reuters’ later account. The victims included teachers and other school staff.

Combined with the deaths of the teenager’s grandparents, the incident resulted in seven deaths, including the shooter.

At least 23 other people were injured, with nine reported to be in critical condition in the initial aftermath.

The scale of the attack made it Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly four years, according to Reuters.

Students ran as the shooting unfolded
Images from the scene showed students fleeing the school grounds while emergency personnel and police rushed toward the campus.

One Reuters photograph captured a student running away from the school in his uniform as the emergency unfolded.

For many students, the school that had previously represented an ordinary place of study suddenly became the site of a terrifying memory.

Reuters journalist Chalinee Thirasupa, who arrived at the scene, later recounted the aftermath of the shooting and the atmosphere surrounding the school.

The school stayed closed for weeks
Following the attack, Debsirin Nonthaburi School did not immediately return to normal.

Authorities increased security while students, teachers and families dealt with the aftermath.

When the school finally reopened on September 1, roughly three weeks after the shooting, police were stationed around the entrance and students faced enhanced security checks.

Bags were checked as students entered, while memorial displays were placed near the school entrance to honor those who died.

Mental-health professionals were also brought in to support students and staff coping with the trauma.

Parents expressed concern about their children’s emotional well-being, even as some welcomed the return to classroom learning.

Thailand confronts another debate over guns
The shooting also renewed questions about civilian firearm ownership in Thailand.

Reuters reported that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul responded by suspending the issuance of new firearm permits and promising a review of existing licenses.

Thailand has experienced several major mass-casualty shootings in recent years, making gun control a recurring issue.

But the latest tragedy carried another disturbing element: the alleged shooter was only 14 years old.

That fact has intensified questions about how a teenager was able to access a firearm and what warning signs, if any, might have existed before the attack.

The school is open again — but the memory remains
Students have now returned to Debsirin Nonthaburi School.

The classrooms are open. Teachers are back at work. Students once again walk through the gates carrying school bags.

But the security presence at the entrance is a reminder that the school has changed.

For the families who lost loved ones, reopening the gates cannot erase what happened on August 7.

And for the students who were there, returning to the same classrooms only weeks after a deadly attack is likely to remain an emotional experience.

The tragedy has already become one of the darkest chapters in the school’s history — and a painful reminder of how quickly an ordinary school day can turn into a national tragedy.