Thirty-seven persons were slain, the most of them children, in an extraordinary gun and knife attack on a preschool centre in north-east Thailand, which shocked the country.
According to authorities and witnesses, the assailant, a former police officer, opened fire on youngsters resting at the centre in Na Klang district of Nong Bua Lamphu province about midday on Thursday.
According to police, the majority of the youngsters slain at the centre were stabbed to death. As he drove away from the nursery, the assailant shot at passersby before returning home and shooting himself, his wife, and his kid.
Panya Khamrab, a 34-year-old former police lieutenant colonel who was fired from the force last year for methamphetamine possession and had been in court earlier on Thursday on a narcotics charge, was identified as the attacker by police.
When he arrived at the daycare, witnesses reported he was upset.
Images from the site revealed a baby schoolroom with alphabet letters and animal drawings on the walls. Children’s bodies were spread out on sleeping mats with white sheets draped over them.
Thailand ‘s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is scheduled to visit Nong Bua Lamphu on Friday, expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the victims’ families in a Facebook message. “I instructed the police chief to travel to the area immediately, and all connected authorities to assist all individuals impacted as soon as possible,” he added.
A teacher told Thai Rath TV that she observed Panya open fire in the parking lot before proceeding towards the centre. “I was asking him to stop,” she recalled, “but he was loading the bullet, so I fled to the rear and we slammed the door and ran out the window.” She stated that the children, who ranged in age from two to four years old, were asleep at the time.
Another instructor said she was on the phone when she heard a huge crash. “At first I assumed it was a firework, but when I peered out the window, I saw people on the floor.” “I witnessed him load the rifle,” she explained. Another teacher present attempted to seal the door, but the man shot at it, she added, adding that she took refuge behind a wall.
She stated that there were 24 youngsters there at the time. It was claimed that there were fewer youngsters there than usual due to severe rains that drove some to stay at home.
Paweena Purichan, 31, a witness, told AFP that the attacker had a history of drug abuse. She was on her way to her business on her motorcycle when she noticed him driving dangerously.
“He meant to hit other people on the road,” she told AFP. “The assailant rammed a motorcycle, injuring two persons.” I accelerated away from him. There was blood everywhere throughout.”
An autopsy would reveal whether or not he had used narcotics before the attack, according to officials. “We feel it’s primarily due to the drugs and the stress [of his court appearance],” stated the police chief.
Thailand, along with Myanmar and Laos, is part of the Golden Triangle of south-east Asia, which has long been a known hub for drug trafficking and manufacture.
Crime in Thailand
Across June, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) issued a warning about “extreme amounts of methamphetamine” being produced, transported, and consumed in Southeast Asia. According to the report, the spike in supply has prompted wholesale and street prices in Thailand to reach all-time lows in 2021.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Thailand, but in 2020, a soldier enraged by his superiors over a property transaction opened fire in four sites, including a large shopping centre in north-east Thailand, killing at least 29 people and injuring 57. The incident, along with other recent stories of gun violence, sparked a public debate over the country’s gun ownership rates.
Possession of an unlawful firearm can result in a jail sentence of up to ten years and/or a fine of up to 20,000 baht (£480), yet unregistered firearms remain common due to lax enforcement.
According to Gunpolicy.org, Thailand had over 10 million privately held weapons in 2016. This includes around 4 million illicit and unregistered guns. The guns used in the incident on Thursday were lawfully bought.
