At Least 24 Children Among 35 Killed In Thailand Daycare Attack

At Least 24 Children Among 35 Killed In Thailand Daycare Attack
A disgraced policeman on Thursday massacred 35 individuals at a daycare in the Thai province of Nong Bua Lam Phu.

At least 24 of the killed were children, according to a senior police functionary quoted by The Bangkok Post. The attacker, Panya Kamrab, was armed with a pistol and meat chopper. Another 15 have been injured in the mass shooting. The condition of eight of these is said to be serious. The toll continues to mount with 34 reported as having been killed initially.

The shootout commenced around noon. The disgraced cop fled the scene in a pickup after. He set the vehicle on fire after reaching home and proceeded to kill his son and wife. He then killed himself.

Police said the suspect was under the influence of drugs when the attack transpired. The suspect had earlier been discharged from the force over drug possession. He was later nabbed and confessed. A "stressed" Kamrab was due in court on Friday in connection with the charges.

Thursday's massacre was the worst mass shooting in Thai history since an army man killed 29 people in February, 2020. Another 57 were left injured.

The suspect had gunned down his boss and a woman, taken away arms from a base and held people hostage at a mall. He was killed by police 17 hours after.

Mass shootings are rare in Thailand but gun violence is "relatively high", according to BBC News. The rate of gun ownership is said to be high too for South East Asia.