Bangkok: Police are urgently investigating the school shooting, finding that the perpetrator was stressed about school and family issues and had a history of playing video games involving firearms. Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan, Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police and spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, revealed the progress in the investigation of the incident. He stated that prior to the incident, the perpetrator arrived at school as usual before leaving his classroom and continuously firing shots.
According to Thai News Agency, police inspected both crime scenes: the perpetrator's residence and the school. At the house, they found two deceased individuals, the grandfather and grandmother, presumed to have died as a result of the perpetrator's actions. The school area was cordoned off to allow forensic officers to conduct a thorough investigation, and hospitals were contacted to gather information on the injured and deceased.
The latest confirmations report 8 fatalities: 5 school staff and personnel, and 1 perpetrator. There are no reports of student fatalities. More than 30 people were injured, most with minor injuries from fleeing, while 9 others are under close monitoring. Some students were also injured by gunfire.
Regarding the investigation into the cause, police are currently questioning witnesses and close associates, as well as examining all electronic evidence. A search of the suspect's home computer revealed he played video games involving firearms and had a history of searching for information about numerous violent incidents. Police will investigate whether this relates to his motive for the crime.
Regarding personal issues, initial inquiries with close friends revealed that the perpetrator had complained of stress from studying, homework, and the strictness of both parents and school. However, there is no confirmed information that the perpetrator was bullied or had conflicts with classmates. All aspects need to be thoroughly investigated to determine the true cause.
Regarding suspicions about firearms training, Police Lieutenant General Trairong said that no information has been found yet, but the police will investigate further. He acknowledged that learning how to use firearms through online media is easy these days, and coupled with the observation of playing combat games involving firearms, it is necessary to investigate whether there was additional learning or training from other sources.
Furthermore, an investigation into the sequence of events revealed that the perpetrator used a firearm brought into the school in their bag, firing all the rounds in the first magazine before reloading to a second one. More than 30 rounds of ammunition were still found remaining. The origin of the firearm used in the incident is currently under investigation, as is whether the perpetrator has a history of mental illness. However, no confirmed reports have been received yet.
Following the incident, the Royal Thai Police instructed all units to intensify searches and arrests of those carrying firearms in public areas, especially those with permits to possess but are not legally allowed to carry. They also ordered police checkpoints nationwide to strictly enforce the law to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
When reporters asked whether the perpetrator's behavior was copied from playing games, a spokesperson for the National Police Office revealed that, initially, the suspect had a history of playing two online games: World of Tanks (WoT) and Roblox. It is suspected that the boy practiced using firearms from these games. Furthermore, the boy had previously handled the same gun used in the incident once, as evidenced by a photo of him with it posted on his personal Instagram account.
A spokesperson for the National Police revealed that police have not ruled out the possibility that the incident stemmed from playing video games or being bullied by classmates at school. However, further investigation indicates that the boy who committed the crime had viewed news clips about mass shootings in the United States on July 30, 2026.