Exploring the ‘Massacre At Thailand Child Care Center, Shooting kicks Off At Rampage’ World leaders react to the “horrific” massacre at a child care center in Thailand.
Massacre At Thailand Child Care Center, Shooting kicks Off At Rampage
British Prime Minister Liz Truss expressed her dismay and sent well wishes to the people affected by a gun and shooting massacre at a child care center in northeast Thailand on Thursday that killed 34 people, including at least 22 children.
The attack was allegedly carried out by a 34-year-old former policeman who was facing an ongoing court hearing over drug offenses, according to police. The suspect killed his wife and two-year-old stepson at home following the attack, before taking his own life, police said.
“I am shocked to hear of the horrific events in Thailand this morning. My thoughts are with all those affected and the first responders. The UK stands with the Thai people at this terrible time,” Truss tweeted.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted his condolences.
Here’s How Thailand Fares On Gun Ownership Globally
Internationally, Thailand ranks 50th in terms of civilian ownership per capita, according to data from the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS).
Comparison with the United States: There are 120 civilian guns for every 100 Americans, according to the (SAS). No other nation has more civilian guns than people. In contrast, Thailand has 15 civilian guns for every 100 people.
Thailand Prime Minister Sends “Deepest Condolences” To families Of Massacre At Child Care Center
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his “deepest condolences” to the families involved in a massacre at a child care center in the country’s northeast on Thursday that has left at least 36 dead, including 23 children.
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families and the injured. I have instructed the national police chief to quickly enforce the law and all concerned parties to render help and rehabilitate those who are affected urgently,” a statement from Chan-o-cha’s office read.
The shooter, who has been identified as a former police officer, took his own life after the incident and also killed his wife and two-year-old stepson, Thailand’s Central Investigations Bureau (CIB) said.
It is unclear if the attacker and his family are included in the current death toll.
Death Toll In Thailand Massacre Climbs To 36, Including 23 Children
According to local police sources, a massacre at a daycare center in northeastern Thailand on Thursday resulted in at least 36 fatalities, including 23 children.
In the hours prior to the incident at the nursery, the alleged attacker—named 34-year-old former policeman Panya Kamrab—appeared in court on drug-related charges.
The shooter went hunting for his two-year-old son but found him nowhere. He then began stabbing and shooting victims at the nursery, according to the local police chief, Maj. General Paisan Luesomboon, who spoke to CNN.
The suspect then “managed to get into a room where 24 kids were sleeping together. All but one of the kids died in that room. He also used a knife to stab both children and staff at the center,” Luesomboon said, adding that Kamrab “has been on drugs and he has a record of taking drugs for years.”
The massacre was carried out with several kinds of guns and a “long knife,” according to Luesomboon.
After the attack on the nursery, the suspect made his way home where he killed his wife and 2-year-old stepson before taking his own life. He also targeted several bystanders on his journey home, according to Luesomboon.
“After he left the center and drove back to his home, he also hit his car into several bystanders along the way, and at some point, he stopped his car and tried to stab a bystander,” Luesomboon told CNN.
UNICEF Condemns Violence Against Children After The Thailand Massacre
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed sadness and shock over the massacre in northeast Thailand at a childcare center that killed 34 people, including 22 children.
“UNICEF condemns all forms of violence against children. No child should be a target or witness of violence anywhere, anytime,” it tweeted Thursday.
UNICEF also urged the public and media to “refrain from posting or forwarding images and videos related to this violent incident, as this may further negatively impact children, victims’ families, and their loved ones.”
A Look At Where The Attack Happened
The Thailand gun and knife massacre that killed 34 people, including 22 children, took place at the Child Development Center in Nong Bua Lamphu province’s Uthaisawan Na Klang district, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.
The province, located approximately 540 kilometers (around 335 miles) northeast of Bangkok, is a largely peaceful and quiet area and is not known for violence.
“The prime minister has expressed his condolences on the shooting incident,” the statement read.
The suspect was a former police officer, who was dismissed from duty and “charged with selling narcotics” last year, Maj. Gen. Jirapob Puridet of the Central Investigations Bureau (CIB) told CNN.
Gun Ownership Rates Are High In Thailand But Mass Shootings Are Rare
Gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared with other countries in Southeast Asia. There were more than 10.3 million civilian-owned firearms in Thailand, or around 15 guns for every 100 people, according to 2017 data from the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS). Approximately 6.2 million of those guns are legally registered, according to SAS.
Thailand ranks as the Southeast Asian country with the second-highest gun homicides after the Philippines, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s 2019 Global Burden of Disease database.
Mass shootings in the country, however, are rare but a 2020 incident saw a soldier kill 29 people in a shooting spree that began at a military site and then sent shoppers hunting for cover after the gunman entered a mall.
The Suspect killed His Wife And Stepson Before Taking His Own Life
Investigators confirmed that the 34-year-old suspect in the Thailand massacre had killed his wife and his two-year-old stepson before taking his own life.
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It is unclear if the attacker and his family are included in the current death toll.
His two-year-old stepson was enrolled at the center he attacked Thursday but was not present while the attack was carried out, according to a local police chief.
“[The attacker] went to look for his two-year-old son, but the boy was not there … so he started shooting as well as stabbing people at the nursery,” police spokesperson Maj. General Paisan Luesomboon told CNN.
Children Among At Least 34 People Killed In Nursery Attack In Thailand
From Kocha Olarn, Hannah Ritchie, and Heather Chen
At least 22 children were among 34 people killed in a massacre at a childcare center in northeastern Thailand on Thursday.
Authorities launched a manhunt for the suspected attacker, later identified by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) as a 34-year-old former policeman involved in an ongoing court case for allegedly selling drugs.
The suspect had appeared in court in Nong Bua Lamphu province hours before “opening fire while the kids were sleeping,” according to Maj. Gen. Jirapob Puridet of the CIB.
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His two-year-old stepson was enrolled at the center he attacked Thursday but was not present while the attack was carried out, according to a local police chief.
SOURCE: CNN
