Additional Coverage:
Hostage Situation and Shooting Reported at Southern Thailand School, Suspect Apprehended
HAT YAI, Thailand – A tense situation unfolded Wednesday at a school in southern Thailand, where authorities reported a hostage situation and a shooting. The incident, which gripped the Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla province, was successfully resolved after several hours, culminating in the apprehension of the gunman, according to police.
The Central Investigation Bureau of the police confirmed that an armed individual held several students and teachers hostage. At least one student sustained injuries during the ordeal.
Approximately two hours after the initial reports, authorities declared the incident under control, though specific details regarding the resolution were not immediately released. Thai media outlets reported multiple injuries, a claim that has yet to be officially confirmed.
According to the provincial Public Relations Department, the gunman, whose motive remains unknown, reportedly entered the school in the late afternoon shortly after classes had been dismissed. Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots after his entry. The suspect was described as appearing angry at the time of the incident.
Thailand has a notable prevalence of gun violence, with one of Asia’s highest rates of gun ownership and related fatalities. While mass shootings are infrequent, the country has experienced several high-profile incidents in recent years.
Data from 2017 by Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org indicated approximately 10.3 guns per 100 people in Thailand; this figure rises to 15.1 when illegal firearms are included. This stands in contrast to neighboring Malaysia, which reported less than one gun per 100 people.
Previous tragic events include an October 2022 incident where a former police sergeant killed 36 people, including two dozen toddlers, at a day care center in Uthai Sawan. This horrific attack sparked calls for stricter gun control measures, though no significant reforms have been implemented to date. In February 2020, a disgruntled Thai soldier, embroiled in a financial dispute, went on a shooting rampage in Nakhon Ratchasima, killing 29 people and injuring dozens before being fatally shot by police after an overnight siege at a shopping mall.