12-year-old stabs classmate to death in Isaan school lunch break
Police say the victim and his attacker had a history of disputes
In Phibun Mangsahan district, Ubon Ratchathani province, a tragic incident unfolded when a 12 year old student fatally stabbed a classmate at a secondary school.
The incident, which occurred during the school’s lunch break on Thursday, May 22, has deeply shocked the community and brought attention to the safety measures within educational institutions.
Police reports indicate that the incident took place around 12.30pm. The two Matthayom 1 (grade 7) students, who had a history of disputes, engaged in a confrontation near the school canteen. The suspect allegedly approached the victim while he was conversing with friends, drew a hidden knife, and attacked him, inflicting a stab wound to his left abdomen.
As the victim tried to escape towards the kitchen area, the suspect followed and inflicted a second, fatal stab wound to the neck. Witnesses recounted that despite the victim’s pleas for mercy, the assault continued until bystanders intervened and restrained the attacker.
The injured student was rushed to Phibun Mangsahan Hospital but was pronounced dead later.
Following the incident, police escorted the suspect back to the scene to reconstruct the events as part of his confession process.
In response to the tragedy, Thanu Wongchinda, secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), criticised the school for failing to implement adequate safety measures, particularly the absence of regular bag checks. He emphasised that the Ministry of Education had already issued guidelines for conducting routine security screenings.
Initial investigations revealed that the two students had previous conflicts during their primary school years, although they attended different schools. Upon enrolling in the same secondary school, their animosity resurfaced, leading to this fatal confrontation, reported Bangkok Post.
Local health services are now collaborating with police to offer psychological support to the families involved, as well as other students and staff affected by the incident.
While the incident is seen as a personal dispute, education officials reassured the public of the government’s commitment to ensuring schools remain safe environments. Schools nationwide are being urged to strengthen security measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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