Massacre at daycare: At least 37 people including 23 children dead in mass shooting in Thailand

Asia-Pacific, News October 7, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

The tragic incident of the mass shooting massacre took place at a child care center in the town of Uthai Sawan in Thailand’s northeastern Nong Bua Lamphu province on October 6, 2022.

At least 37 people including 23 children as young as two-year-old have been reported dead, while dozens are still injured following the horrific incident.

The shooter was identified as a local resident named Panya Kamrab, a 34-year-old former policeman who had appeared in court only hours before showing up at the child daycare center. Kamran was serving as police lieutenant colonel before he got terminated from his duties in July this year. He was facing a court case for allegedly selling drugs. The verdict for his case was scheduled to be delivered on October 7, 2022.

Authorities launched a manhunt soon after the incident was reported, however, the police later declared that the shooter had killed himself along with his wife and two-year-old stepson before police could capture him. His stepson was also enrolled in the same daycare center, however, he was not present there at the time of the shooting.

At least 23 children have been reported dead as a result of the shooting that took place on October 6. The daycare center was attacked during the afternoon time as children were sleeping. Several of the injured victims were rushed to the hospital with severe injuries.

^{First responders attend to a victim at the site of an attack at a daycare center on October 6, 2022, in the town of Nong Bua Lamphu, northeastern Thailand. (Image Credit: Mungkorn Sriboonreung Rescue Group/via AP)}

The shooter arrived at the scene in a white Toyota Hilux truck and shot four school officials. Armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and a knife, the shooter killed an eight months pregnant daycare teacher as soon as he entered the building. He then forcibly proceeded to enter the room where the children were sleeping and locked the door from the inside.

Distressed parents and relatives of the victims soon gathered around the building; however, the suspect had fled the scene before the police arrived and confronted the horrific situation with bodies of several victims, adults, and young children, lying inside and outside the school building.

Local police immediately issued a warning in the town asking residents to stay home as they began the manhunt for an armed suspect.

^{The Facebook page of Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau shows a picture of former policeman Panya Khamrab, the killer of innocent people at the daycare center. (Image Credit: Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau/AFP)}

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha described the incident as “a shocking event”.

International organizations and leaders from all around the world expressed their grief and sorrow following the tragic incident. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed sadness and shock over the massacre in northeast Thailand at a childcare center

British Prime Minister Liz Truss expressed her dismay and sent well wishes to the families of the victims affected by the shooting massacre.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted his condolences by stating that “It’s impossible to comprehend the heartbreak of this horrific news from Thailand. All Australians send their love and condolences.”

According to a Switzerland-based organization, the Small Arms Survey (SAS), there were more than 10.3 million civilian-owned firearms in Thailand in 2017. This makes about 15 guns for every 100 people. Although Thailand does not have strict gun ownership laws and a substantial amount of the Thai population owns guns, events of mass shootings are extremely rare in the country.