THE MASSACRE at a child care centre at Na Klang district, Nong Bua Lamphu province, this afternoon (Oct. 6) left 36 people dead of whom 24 were small children and 12 others injured, Matichon newspaper said at 4 p.m.
Only one child survived the shooting by Pol. Lt. Col. Panya Khamrab, a non-official policeman who had been dismissed from service.
Grief-stricken relatives of those who died gathered at the centre wailing as the authorities rushed to examine the dead bodies.
One of the teachers at this child care centre was weeping as she told Thai Rath TV that she was in her office when heard a loud explosion and thought it could be firecrackers. However moments later she saw the gunman killing another teacher who was outside and then walked towards the building.
A third teacher who saw what had happened locked the door but the shooter fired at it and quickly opened it, then came in and started shooting at the sleeping children.
Other teachers and herself then phoned the police and escaped by climbing over the rear fence to call for help.
“The gunman rarely came to the centre but used to drop off his son who has not been to the school for a month. I didn’t think it would lead to something like this,” she said.
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An ambulance taking the injured to the hospital with an image of Pol. Lt. Col. Panya Khamrab inset. Photo: Matichon
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