Thai families mourn victims of child daycare massacre

Reuters Videos

STORY: Anger and devastation in Thailand on Friday after 34 people - including 23 children - were killed in a knife and gun rampage the day before.

One of the worst child death tolls in a massacre by a single killer in recent history.

Thai government buildings flew their flags at half mast after the ex-policeman burst into the daycare center in Uthai Sawan – a town 300 miles northeast of Bangkok.

Relatives of the victims gathered at a local district office, including Prani Srisuthan who's daughter was one of the victims.

"She was 8-months pregnant and she had been working here (at the daycare center) for two years now. She was a nice and cheerful person, everybody loved her."

"I was in the fields and someone called me up and told me about a mass shooting at the daycare centre. They asked, 'How many teachers were heavily pregnant?' I said, 'Just Supaporn.' I knew right then that my daughter wouldn't make it because I called her and she didn't pick up her phone."

Three year old Techin was one of the children killed. His aunt Suwimon Sudfanpitak recounted the horror.

"I knew that he would be one of the deceased. We saw two dead bodies outside, including that of a young child. I knew right then that my nephew wouldn't have survived. I was told that all the children died."

"His class teacher came to apologize to me, saying there was nothing that she could do to save the kids, she had done her best at that time. The children were all stuck inside the room."

Authorities said a former police officer carried out the massacre and later returned home and shot his wife and child before turning his weapon on himself.

Police said he was sacked last year over drug allegations and was facing trial on a drugs charge.

They added he had been in court that day, then went to the daycare center to collect his child, but when he did not find him there the rampage began.

A district official told Reuters that about 30 children were at the center, fewer than usual because of heavy rain.

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