A student opened fire at a high school on the outskirts of Thailand's capital on Friday, killing six people before dying after the attack, in one of the country's deadliest school shootings in recent years.

The attack occurred at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok, sending students and teachers scrambling for safety as gunfire erupted during school hours.

According to Thai police, the victims included three teachers and three students, while at least 15 other people were injured, two of them critically. Authorities later confirmed that the teenage gunman also died following the attack, bringing the overall death toll to seven, including the shooter.

Investigators said the suspect had earlier fatally shot his grandparents at their home before travelling to the school and carrying out the attack. Police said the student fired 26 rounds, while another 34 rounds of ammunition were recovered at the scene.

Authorities believe the firearm was taken from a member of the suspect's family. The motive remains under investigation.

Royal Thai Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan said investigators are examining all possible motives, including the student's background and personal circumstances, but stressed that no conclusions have yet been reached.

The shooting triggered panic across the campus as students barricaded themselves inside classrooms, hid under desks and fled school buildings while heavily armed police secured the area. Emergency medical teams treated the wounded before transferring them to nearby hospitals.

Images from the scene showed grieving students, teachers and parents embracing outside the campus as emergency responders continued their operation. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area to allow rescue efforts and the investigation to proceed.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to the victims' families and ordered government agencies to provide immediate assistance to those affected.

"It's such a terrible incident. It should never have happened. How could this happen in our country?" the prime minister told reporters.

Thailand's Ministry of Education also pledged psychological support for students, teachers and families affected by the tragedy, while officials announced that counseling services would be made available in the coming days.

The shooting has renewed debate over gun violence and school safety in Thailand, where civilian firearm ownership remains among the highest in Southeast Asia. Despite repeated government pledges to tighten gun regulations following previous mass shootings, firearms remain widely available through legal ownership and illicit markets.

The tragedy marks Thailand's second school shooting of 2026, raising fresh concerns over youth violence, access to firearms and mental health support for students. (ILKHA)