Topline
At least 34 people—including 22 children—were killed on Thursday after a former police officer opened fire inside a daycare center in northeastern Thailand, in a rare incident of mass gun violence in the country.
REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: A disgraced former police officer opened fire inside a daycare center on … [+]
Key Facts
Local police confirmed that at least 12 other people were injured in the shooting, including eight in serious condition, the Bangkok Post reported.
The shooting took place just after noon at a daycare center in the town of Uthai Sawan, where around 30 children were present.
Police have identified the gunman as Panya Khamrab, a 34-year-old former police officer who was recently dismissed from the force on drug possession charges.
After the shooting, Panya reportedly fled the scene using a white pickup truck, prompting police to urge locals to remain vigilant.
Local media reports say the gunman returned home after the shooting rampage and proceeded to kill his wife and child before turning the gun on himself.
Big Number
15.6. That is the number of people per 100,000 that legally own a firearm in Thailand, the highest among all Southeast Asian countries, according to GunPolicy.org run by the University of Sydney. This number, however, does not account for the 4 million illegal weapons in circulation inside the country.
Key Background
Mass shooting incidents in Thailand are rare despite the country’s more permissive gun ownership laws, compared to its neighbors in South East Asia. The most recent deadly mass shooting incident in the country took place in 2020 when a soldier—angered by a failed property deal—opened fire in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima. The shooting resulted in 29 deaths over two days and ended with the soldier being shot dead. At the time Reuters reported that the incident had triggered calls for a re-examining of the country’s gun laws.
Further Reading
Mass murder at child care centre, 34 confirmed slain (Bangkok Post)
Thai police: More than 30 killed in childcare center attack (Associated Press)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/10/06/at-least-34-dead-in-mass-shooting-at-daycare-center-in-thailand/