The Price of a Grade: How a Teacher’s Kindness Led to Her Execution by a Vengeful Student in Thailand

The profession of teaching is often hailed as one of the most noble, demanding immense patience, dedication, and resilience, often for little reward.

Yet, the story of Sarada Sin Praset, known as Sally, a highly respected and intelligent teacher in Thailand, serves as a tragic and sobering reminder of the unforeseen dangers kindness can harbor. Sally’s life, a testament to selfless dedication, was brutally cut short when she was M.U.R.D.E.R.E.D by her own student, a young man who targeted her in a moment of escalating, irrational rage, all stemming from a failing grade.

Sally’s personal life was defined by responsibility and sacrifice. Residing in Bangkok with her parents, she was the middle child of three. When her older brother and younger sister returned home following separations, bringing their children with them, Sally embraced the chaos. However, her younger sister soon left her child behind without a word, burdening Sally with the full spectrum of household responsibilities.

She became the sole caretaker for her aging parents, the primary provider, and the guardian responsible for her nephews’ education. Sally accepted this burden willingly, driven by a determination to succeed so she could provide everything her family needed. Her efforts paid off when she graduated and secured a teaching position at Sacred Heart Convent School, a Private Catholic College University in the Khlong Toei District.

At the university, Sally quickly became known as one of the finest educators. She was loved by her students for her excellent teaching methods and respected by her colleagues for her unwavering professionalism; she was always on time, diligent, and never once complained about the pressures of her job. She continued her education to expand her teaching repertoire and eventually specialized as a Computer Science teacher. Over two decades, she devoted herself entirely to her career and her family, successfully seeing her nephews through their education.

This unwavering focus meant she never pursued marriage. Tragically, her parents passed away, but not before telling Sally how immensely proud they were of her. Her dedication was finally rewarded when her two nephews, now grown, took over the financial responsibilities for household expenses. Sally felt content and fulfilled, particularly with her job, never imagining that the very profession she loved would lead to her violent end.

Having taught for so long, Sally had encountered every type of student imaginable. However, the dynamics of student behavior had shifted, with some becoming more difficult and aggressive. In 2023, she encountered Annawin Kuya Bebeb, 20, whom we will call Andrew.

Andrew was a transfer student, having been expelled from his previous school just two kilometers away. He was the classic delinquent: frequently absent, disrespectful, and troublesome in class. As the only child of busy, indulgent parents, Andrew was accustomed to getting everything he wanted, leading him down a path of vices like smoking, d.r.u.g use, and excessive drinking. He was known for fighting and gang involvement.

When Sally learned about her new student’s background, she felt immense compassion. She believed Andrew was a young man at risk and felt compelled to give him extra attention to steer him away from a downward spiral. She personally reached out, offering him academic help.

Andrew dismissively refused, assuring her he could pass on his own. Undeterred, Sally continued to reach out, but Andrew ignored her. Her worry intensified in August 2023 when Andrew stopped attending her classes altogether. Rumors began circulating that he was busy forming a gang, which frequently engaged in brawls with students from rival universities. Sally tried to contact his parents but received no response. She knew Andrew had a mortal enemy, Tanoron Hong Sawat, also 20, or Nathan, the leader of a rival gang at the school Andrew had been expelled from.

Despite Andrew’s indifference and delinquency, Sally’s teacher’s heart prevailed. She tracked him down outside the university one day and urged him to return to class, especially since final exams were approaching.

She insisted he submit all his outstanding term papers and projects. Surprisingly, Andrew complied. He returned, submitted the required coursework, and sat for the final exam, albeit late. Despite his last-minute effort, Andrew failed the subject.

Confronted with the failing grade—the only failing mark he received—Andrew was furious and immediately confronted Sally. The teacher calmly explained that his exam score was low, his submitted papers were poor, and his chronic absenteeism had been a major factor in the overall grade.

She stressed the importance of attendance for her subject. Her professional integrity served only to further enrage the volatile young man. In a twisted attempt to vent his anger and frustration over the failing grade, Andrew rallied his gang members to confront Nathan’s rival group. A brawl ensued, leaving many of Andrew’s associates injured, and Andrew himself sustained a cut to the face, further fueling his already raging temper.

On the morning of November 11, 2023, Andrew, riding on a motorcycle driven by his gang member Dong, with another member, Minoy, following on a separate motorcycle, spotted his nemesis, Nathan, standing outside a bank.

Andrew stopped and exchanged words with Nathan, quickly escalating the confrontation into a full-blown fight. In a terrifying instant, Andrew pulled out a g.u.n. Nathan attempted to flee, but Andrew fired multiple shots, fatally wounding his rival.

The horrifying events were witnessed by several people, including an unsuspecting Sally. The dedicated teacher was nearby, withdrawing money from an ATM machine, and turned at the sound of the gunfire.

She was frozen in shock as she recognized the s.h.o.o.t.e.r—it was her student, Andrew. In a split second, Andrew made a deadly decision. He aimed the g.u.n at his teacher and fired. One bullet struck Sally, but the injury proved catastrophic. Andrew quickly fled the scene with Dong and Minoy.

Paramedics and police were immediately called, but both Nathan and Sally were pronounced D.E.A.D at the scene. Police launched an investigation, collecting witness testimonies and securing CCTV footage that captured the entire brutal incident. While the sensitive video was not released publicly, screenshots quickly circulated online, clearly identifying the three suspects: Andrew, Dong, and Minoy. By November 22, 2023, investigators had positively identified all three.

The senseless k.i.l.l.i.n.g of the beloved teacher, Sally, and the student, Nathan, sparked widespread public mourning and calls for justice. Flowers were laid at the ATM machine where Sally fell. Police launched a massive manhunt, but the three young men remained elusive for weeks. Finally, on December 5, 2023, Andrew was located and arrested. Dong and Minoy were apprehended the following day.

At the police station, the suspects confessed. Dong and Minoy insisted they were merely accessories to Andrew’s plan. Andrew, however, admitted to the k.i.l.l.i.n.g.s without apparent remorse. He confirmed that Nathan had been his initial target, but when he saw his teacher, Sally, he decided to a.t.t.a.c.k her too, driven by the intense resentment over the failing grade she had given him. He also admitted his motive for k.i.l.l.i.n.g Nathan was pure revenge for the gang fight loss.

All three men were charged with two counts of m.u.r.d.e.r and imprisoned. The families of both victims, particularly Sally’s two nephews, vowed to pursue justice relentlessly. The legal proceedings were prolonged, with the defendants attempting to delay the verdict by claiming various illnesses. But the victims’ families’ wait finally ended. On March 29, 2025, the court delivered its verdict.

Andrew, Dong, and Minoy were all found guilty of m.u.r.d.e.r. Dong and Minoy, convicted as accessories to the c.r.i.m.e, were sentenced to six years in prison. Andrew, the direct k.i.l.l.e.r, was sentenced to D.E.A.T.H for the m.u.r.d.e.r of his teacher and the rival student. He was also ordered to pay the victims’ families 1 million Philippine Pesos in damages.

The verdict brought a measure of closure and satisfaction to the bereaved families. While the current status of Andrew’s death sentence remains unconfirmed, this shocking case reignited the long-standing debate in Thailand concerning the need for stricter g.u.n regulation laws. It stands as a profound tragedy, where a dedicated life was extinguished, and another wasted, all because of an irrational desire for revenge over a single failing grade.