Key facts
- A local government official was hospitalized after a shooting in Nonthaburi province, Thailand.
- The suspected shooter, identified as a former lawmaker, has been detained.
- The incident occurred shortly after a mass shooting at a school in the same province.
- In the earlier school shooting, a teenage student killed six people and himself.
A local government official in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, was hospitalized on Monday following a shooting incident. The suspected shooter, identified as a former lawmaker, has been detained, according to Deputy Governor Apichai Aramsri.
This incident occurred just days after a separate mass shooting in the same province, where a teenage student killed six people and himself at a school. Investigations into the earlier rampage revealed the 14-year-old shooter had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and had watched violent content online. Police also found a knife in the boy's bag.
The Ministry of Education has pledged to develop new safety protocols for schools within three months, including mental health screenings and emergency response drills. The earlier school shooting, which resulted in four deaths and 15 injuries, has reignited debate over firearms control in Thailand, a country with a high rate of gun ownership.