Thailand Kindergarten Shooting: Policeman Kills Teacher, 44 Children Safe

A kindergarten teacher was shot dead inside a school building in eastern Thailand on Wednesday, while 44 children and three other teachers were safely evacuated, authorities said.

The shooting happened at about 11am at the Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten in Chonburi province, around 150km (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok. The suspected gunman, believed to be the victim’s husband, fled the scene after the shooting, while police surrounded his accommodation, officials said.

All 44 students were unharmed and evacuated from the school along with the three other teachers, according to the Chonburi provincial government. No students witnessed the shooting because it happened outside the classroom, a local official said.

Sayan Klomaon, chairman of Nong Pla Lai sub-district council, said the gunman – a policeman local to the area – came to the school at about 10.30am and talked to his wife before shooting her.

Sayan said the gunman then left the school and went home. All the children were subsequently picked up, he said.

Chonburi Governor Narit Niramaiwong ordered the school to be closed and mental health experts to be available to support the students and school staff, his office said.

The shooting comes as school safety and gun violence in Thailand have come under renewed scrutiny, Associated Press reported.

In August, a 14-year-old student opened fire at his high school and family home, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life.

Earlier this month, a 14-year-old student was arrested after firing several shots at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province, about 200km north of Bangkok. No one was injured in that incident.

Calls for tighter controls on firearms have intensified, and the national government has ordered a review of gun regulations. The measures include a suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite fairly restrictive gun laws. While mass shootings are still rare, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile attacks in recent years, according to Associated Press.