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At least 38 children and adults died in Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, following the shooting-stabbing rampage at a childcare centre in the town of Uthai Sawan, 500km northeast of Bangkok in the province of Nong Bua Lamphu.

The incident has shocked Thailand and the rest of the world, as more details have emerged in live updates in the aftermath of the case.

Mass #shooting at a #childcare centre in #Thailand’s northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu. Initial reports indicate 38 people killed, mostly children.
Police have named a suspect, a 34-year Ex police officer.
He’s still on the run. #กราดยิง #กราดยิงหนองบัวลำภู pic.twitter.com/dfsfqebTUk

— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) October 6, 2022

Children mostly stabbed to death

It was reported that the youngest victim was two years old and that most of the children were stabbed to death.

Death toll

A total of 19 boys, three girls and two adults were killed inside the nursery building before the assailant fled, according to a police statement that came out initially.

Two children and 10 adults also died outside the childcare centre, including the suspect, his wife and his son.

Two more individuals were subsequently reported to have died, bringing the death toll to 38.

Pregnant teacher killed while protecting children

One of the first victims of the attack on the nursery school was a teacher who was eight months pregnant, according to witness accounts and officials.

She was reportedly stabbed to death while protecting the children.

Following the attack on the centre, the gunman, identified as Panya Kamrab, 34, shot his wife and child at home, before turning the gun on himself, Thai police said.

What happened

The massacre began around noon.

The attacker was agitated when he arrived at the daycare centre only to find his child not there.

Shot through door

Witnesses at the daycare centre in the Na Klang district said they had tried to prevent the gunman from entering, but he had shot through the door.

Multiple weapons used, including knife

He used multiple weapons in the attack, including a handgun, a shotgun and a knife, police said.

Thai police said at least one of the guns he used, a 9mm pistol, was legally purchased.

Children sleeping

The attacker forced his way into a locked room where the children were sleeping.

The teacher who was eight months pregnant was reportedly stabbed to death trying to stop the attacker and while protecting the children.

Pregnant teacher one of the first victims

She was one of the first to be killed, with some reports stating that she had been shot instead.

“The teacher who died, she had a child in her arms,” said a witness who did not want to be identified.

“I didn’t think he would kill children, but he shot at the door and shot right through it.”

At least four or five members of staff were shot first when the attack started.

Children attacked with knife

Teachers who survived the attack said their colleagues locked the classroom door as Panya approached, but he broke it open and attacked the children with a knife.

At least 10 who survived the attack are reportedly severely wounded.

Public shot at

When Panya left, he shot at bystanders and drove his vehicle at them.

He also fired randomly at passers-by and rammed his truck into vehicles as he fled the scene.

He shot some people in the process.

Previous drug offences

The Royal Thai police said on Facebook that Panya was a police corporal at the Na Wang Police Station in Nong Bua Lamphu.

He was fired from the force in 2021 because he was found to have possessed drugs.

He was also known to have abused drugs.

The motive for the shooting is still unclear.

National police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas said Panya had not quit his drug habit since his sacking.

The attacker was also due for another court appearance on Oct. 7 in a drug case that led to his dismissal.

“This might have led to hallucination from stress, and he eventually committed the crime, starting from the childcare centre, and later at his house,” the police chief said.

Background on shootings

This latest attack is the deadliest mass shooting since a 2020 incident where a soldier gunned down 29 people and injured more than 50 others in a 17-hour rampage in Nakhon Ratchasima, a north-eastern province of Thailand.

Gun ownership laws are strict in Thailand, but firearm attacks do occur.

Top photos via Khaosod English & Chaudhary Parvez