Former police officer Panya Khamrab executed one of the kingdom's deadliest mass killings on Thursday by killing at least 37 people in northeast Thailand. National Police Chief Damrongsak Kittiprapat told a news conference that Gunman Panya Khamrab equipped with a shotgun, pistol and knife allegedly murdered minimum 37 people by opening fire on the childcare centre in northeastern Nong Bua Lam Phu province of Uthai Sawan district at 12:30 pm. Then he went home to kill his wife and child before committing suicide. The list of the deceased constituted around 23 children along with his own family. 12 others were found wounded. 

Nanthicha Punchum, acting chief of the nursery, described "There were some staff eating lunch outside the nursery and the attacker parked his car and shot four of them dead. The shooter smashed down the door with his leg and then came inside and started slashing the children's heads with a knife." Distressed parents could be found weeping in a yellow single storey shelter in footage soon after the incident took place.

Damrongsak informed reporters that Gunman is a 34-year-old former Thai police sergeant who was suspended in January and dismissed in June for drug use. He reported "As far as I know he was due in court tomorrow for a drug-related trial. The attacker was in a manic state but it was unknown whether it was drug-related. What happened today will be a lesson to prevent this happening again in the future".

The pistol used didn’t come from the police property rather it was a privately owned weapon that was legally purchased. According to 31 year old Paweena Purichan, the murderer was a well-recognized drug addict of the area. He also described whatever he witnessed “The attacker rammed a motorbike into two people who were injured. I sped off to get away from him. There was blood everywhere."

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha ordered for a "fast-track an investigation" and confirmed a visit to the crime on Friday. While expressing grief before the reporters he said "I am extremely sorry for those who were injured and lost (their loved ones)."Moreover a government spokesman declared that flags would fly at half-mast on Friday as a mark of honour for the deceased.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss tweeted "I am shocked to hear of the horrific events in Thailand this morning. My thoughts are with all those affected and the first responders," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also mentioned in twitter "impossible to comprehend the heartbreak of this horrific news".