'He Was Interested In FBI, Guns': Classmate Says 'Troubled' Thai Teen School Shooter Was Bullied

Published 7 August 2026 · politics

News world 'He Was Interested In FBI, Guns': Classmate Says 'Troubled' Thai Teen School Shooter Was Bullied 'He Was Interested In FBI, Guns': Classmate Says

News world 'He Was Interested In FBI, Guns': Classmate Says 'Troubled' Thai Teen School Shooter Was Bullied 'He Was Interested In FBI, Guns': Classmate Says 'Troubled' Thai Teen School Shooter Was Bullied Published By, Last Updated: August 07, 2026, 23:10 IST Police said the teen used his grandfather's handgun to kill his grandparents before heading to his school, where he opened fire and killed 5 more. Rapid Read Armed police walk through the school premises after a shooting in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi province, north of Thailand's capital Bangkok, on August 7. (AFP photo) The teen behind Thailand’s deadly school shooting, who first killed his grandparents before shooting dead five school staff, has been described by classmates as “troubled" and “bullied by many other students". One classmate also said he was “interested in the FBI and guns". Police said the teen used his grandfather’s handgun to kill his grandparents before heading to a secondary school in Nonthaburi province, bordering Bangkok, where he opened fire.

He later died by suicide. More than 30 people were injured in the attack, with around nine reported to be in a critical condition. PM Says Teen Was ‘Under Stress’ Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said police had questioned one of the teen’s close friends, who told investigators the suspect had been under stress because of school. “His actions also suggested that he had clearly planned" the attack, the prime minister said. He added that the gun was a legally registered firearm kept at a house, but the teen had somehow gained access to it. The attack prompted a massive emergency response, with parents gathering outside the school as students and staff were evacuated. ‘Interested In The FBI And Guns’ One classmate, who narrowly escaped the shooting, said the teen had long appeared to be struggling. “He was my junior, but I had a feeling that he was a troubled kid," the student told AFP. “My group of friends who knew him said he was interested in the FBI and guns, and that he was bullied by many other students," he added.

Recalling the terrifying moment he came face to face with the attacker, the classmate said: “When I saw him aiming the gun at me, I thought he looked very professional, as if he had been trained for a long time." ‘I Was Afraid That I Would Die’ Students described scenes of panic as gunfire rang through the school building. “I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pursue my dreams," one student told AFP. “I heard many gunshots very loudly because it seemed the suspect was on the floor directly above us," she said. A motorcycle taxi driver waiting outside the school said he heard more than 10 gunshots before seeing students running out in fear. “Some of them weren’t even wearing shoes," he said. Following the attack, Thailand’s education minister pledged mental health support for students and said security measures at educational institutions would be strengthened. “We haven’t checked whether students have brought weapons to school.