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Principal fatally wounded in southern Thailand school attack
Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, the principal of Phatong Prathan Keeriwat School, succumbed to injuries early Thursday following a violent siege by an 18-year-old gunman the previous afternoon, police confirmed.
Timeline of the assault
The assailant entered the school premises near Hat Yai around 4:50 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Within minutes, he shot Sasiphat and a female student. A second student sustained injuries after leaping from a window to escape the building.
Police secured the scene after a two-hour standoff, arresting the suspect without further casualties. Authorities reported that multiple teachers and students remained trapped inside during the ordeal.
Victims and condition updates
Sasiphat was pronounced dead at a local hospital before dawn on Thursday. The female student who was shot is listed in stable condition, while the student who jumped from the window continues to receive treatment, according to police statements.
Motive remains unclear
Investigators have not determined a definitive motive for the attack. Local media reports speculate the gunman may have harbored resentment toward a teacher at the school, though officials have not confirmed these claims.
School community mourns
The Phatong Prathan Keeriwat School shared a statement on Facebook expressing grief over Sasiphat's death. "Though she is no longer with us, her legacy of kindness and dedication will endure in our hearts," the post read.
Gun violence in Thailand
Thailand has faced repeated incidents of gun violence in recent years, fueled in part by widespread firearm ownership, both legal and illegal. In 2024, a shooting at a Bangkok food market left five dead. The previous year, a 14-year-old killed two people and injured five others in a high-end shopping mall. One of the country's deadliest mass shootings occurred in 2022, when a former police officer targeted a kindergarten in northeastern Thailand, killing 36 people, most of them children.
