On June 6, 2003, a
mass shooting occurred at the in
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality ( th, เทศบาลนครนครศรีธรรมราช, ; from Pali ''Nagara Sri Dhammaraja'') is a municipality (''thesaban nakhon'') in Southern Thailand, capital of Nakhon Si Thammarat prov ...
, Thailand. The gunman, then 17-year-old Anatcha Boonkwan (a.k.a. "Nung") fatally shot two of his fellow students, and injured four others, using a
semi-automatic pistol
A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actuall ...
. This was apparently due to his argument with classmate Sicharat Kumsuk, who was his actual target.
Victims
The two killed were:
* Kraisorn Kanchanadul, 17
* Wanida Klaewbang, 17
The five injured were:
* Wanida Kaewpan
* Srijaras Khumsuk
* Wuthidej Promthong
* Yodrak Paenthao
* Kanokwan Mokthong
All the injured victims were 17 at the time of the incident.
Shooting
Anatcha Boonkwan, the perpetrator, was a student at the Pak Phanang school. A day prior to the shooting, Boonkwan had a tiff with his classmate, Sicharat Kumsuk. According to Kumsuk, it was a "trading of insults". On June 6, 2003, while students gathered on the school field to listen to a speech, Boonkwan attempted to shoot Kumsuk using a 9mm
semi-automatic pistol
A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actuall ...
which he had stolen from his father. His father, realizing that his weapon had been stolen, then rushed to school. He arrived before the younger Boonkwan opened fire. Upon learning of his father's arrival, Anatcha Boonkwan took out the pistol and fired seven shots, but only one hit Kumsuk.
The others struck his other classmates. The total death toll was 2, while 4 others were injured. Boonkwan was subsequently arrested by local police.
Reaction
In response to the shooting, then prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra ( th, ทักษิณ ชินวัตร; ; ; Chinese: 丘達新; cnr, Taksin Šinavatra; born 26 July 1949), is a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, a ...
said that the incident was a "deplorable emulation of an example set in western countries". He added that he would "work with the Education Ministry to prevent more school shootings". Friends of Kraisorn Kanchanadul, one of the two who were fatally shot, expressed their desire to "seek revenge" on Boonkwan.
See also
*
List of school-related attacks
This is a list of attacks that have occurred on school property or related primarily to school issues or events. A narrow definition of the word ''attacks'' is used for this list so as to exclude warfare, public attacks (as in political protests) ...
*
Columbine High School massacre
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting and attempted bombing occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, 12th grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. ...
*
Walisongo school massacre
The Walisongo school massacre is the name given to a series of attacks by Christian militants on May 28, 2000 upon several predominantly Muslim villages around Poso town, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia as part of a broader sectarian conflict in the ...
References
{{Reflist
School shootings in Asia
2003 murders in Thailand
June 2003 events in Thailand
Mass shootings in Thailand