Thailand: More Than 30 Dead After Childcare Center Shooting

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Facts

  • More than 30 people were killed and at least 12 injured when a gunman opened fire at a child daycare center in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand, on Thursday. According to police, at least 24 children were among those killed.1
  • Former police officer Panya Khamrab allegedly entered the center with a handgun, shotgun, and knife during lunchtime, killing children as young as two before fleeing and attacking bystanders while on the run.2
  • Khamrab, 34, had appeared in court just hours before, where he faced trial on possession of methamphetamines which saw him fired from the Na Wang police force last year.1
  • Before shooting the napping children, the suspect reportedly shot four or five staff members, including an instructor who was eight months pregnant and a woman holding a child. Witnesses say they thought the shots were fireworks at first.2
  • According to local media reports, the gunman returned home after the attack and killed his wife and child before killing himself.3
  • In a country that gives ten-year prison sentences for illegal possession of a firearm, mass shootings are reportedly rare. The last one was committed by a disgruntled soldier in 2020 who opened fire in four locations, including a shopping mall, killing at least 29 and wounding 57 others.4

Sources: 1NBC, 2Sky News, 3Forbes and 4Guardian.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by US News . Thailand is the perfect example of why gun laws don't work the way their proponents hope. Despite restricting gun purchases by age, living conditions, background checks, and proof of a valid reason, both legal and illegal guns — often from outside its borders — find their way into the hands of deranged people like this man.
  • Left narrative, as provided by BangkokJack News. While theoretically, Thailand has strict gun laws, the reality is far from this: the country imposes obsolete measures that are easily circumvented and can't keep up with today's culture of violence. Like in the US, the Southeast Asian country has millions of tracked and untracked firearms floating around the population. However, Thailand's leaders address the growing violence with a disturbing lack of vigilance. The latest tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to implement stricter controls.