Thai school shooter watched violent content online, police say

The Thai teen behind a deadly school shooting outside Bangkok had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and watched violent content online, police said on Sunday, as the government promised new safety protocols for schools.

As investigations continued into Friday’s rampage, where a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot dead his grandparents at home before killing another six people at his school before turning the gun on himself, police said the boy had used social media to learn how to use a firearm.

“According to witness interviews, the perpetrator had begun showing interest in studying the use of firearms for about one to two years,” said Atthapol Anusit, deputy commissioner of the provincial police region 1.

The boy’s mother, however, said she’d seen no signs of trouble.

“He was a bright, cheerful person,” she said, asking that her name not be used. “He behaved normally.”

She said she had asked him if he’d ever been bullied. “He always said no, there was nothing unusual.”

Atthapol, who said police had so far interviewed 17 witnesses, said a knife had been found in the boy’s bag and other evidence found at the crime scenes included a firearm, spent cartridge cases and a personal computer.

“After examining the PC, it was found the child had watched social media content involving violence,” the deputy commissioner said, but added there was no evidence yet that he had practiced shooting.

He said last year a teacher had confiscated a BB gun, a type of air gun, the boy took to school. The boy had lived with his grandparents for 12 years after his parents had separated, Atthapol said.

On the day it happened, I didn’t know he was the one who did it. I told him if anything’s wrong, contact me, I’m worried

The ministry of education said it would develop new safety protocols over the next three months, including mental health screenings and a system to refer at-risk people to specialists, drills for emergency response plans, a drive to stamp out bullying and better detection to stop items from being taken into schools.

According to witness interviews, the perpetrator had begun showing interest in studying the use of firearms for about one to two years.

Along with those who died, more than 20 people were injured in Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022, which has reignited debate over firearms control in Southeast Asia’s largest gun-owning nation.

After examining the PC, it was found the child had watched social media content involving violence.

The boy lived with his grandparents, and his mother said she last saw him during a recent school holiday.

“On the day it happened, I didn’t know he was the one who did it,” she said, adding she sent him messages and tried to call when she heard there had been a shooting. “I told him if anything’s wrong, contact me, I’m worried.”

“We are truly devastated, because no-one thought this would happen.”