Nong Bua Lamphu marks first anniversary of daycare massacre
Residents of Nong Bua Lamphu province on Friday attended a religious ceremony at the daycare centre of Uthai Sawan Tambon Administration Organisation to commemorate the first anniversary of the attack at the nursery and nearby areas that resulted in 38 deaths, including the perpetrator, and 12 injuries.
On October 6, 2022, sacked policeman Panya Khamrab used a knife and gun to kill 37 people before committing suicide. Most of those who perished in the attack were toddlers attending the nursery in Na Klang district of the Northeastern province.
On Friday, 12 monks performed religious chanting to make merit for the children who lost their lives in the attack in a ceremony presided over by provincial governor Suwit Chanhuan.
The nursery reopened in January this year.
Seksan Srirat, the husband of a teacher who lost her life in the attack along with their unborn child, attended the ceremony which also included offering alms to the monks at 6am.
He told The Nation that he still thinks about the incident despite one year having passed but he has already forgiven the perpetrator.
“My wish is that those in power will keep the promise made after the incident to address gun violence and ensure the safety of people,” said Seksan, who is a teacher at a school in Na Klang district. “But I admit that I am concerned that the promise will not be kept after the change in government.”
The massacre in Nong Bua Lamphu raised public awareness of gun violence in Thailand and of how easy it is to obtain a gun, both legally and illegally in this country.
Just days before the anniversary of country’s biggest mass killing by an individual, a 14-year-old boy opened fire inside Siam Paragon, a major shopping mall in Bangkok on October 3, killing two people and injuring five others, before being apprehended by police.
Investigators found that the suspect used a blank-firing gun that was modified to take real bullets.
