Thailand kindergarten shooting: Teacher killed, all 44 children evacuated safely

A gunman entered a kindergarten in Chonburi and shot a teacher dead. All children were evacuated safely, but the attack has renewed concern over school security and gun access in Thailand.

In Short

• Police said the attacker was suspected to be the victim's husband
• The shooting occurred around 11 am in Chonburi, southeast of Bangkok
• Authorities sealed the suspect's accommodation while officers searched the surrounding area

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

The attacker, believed to be the victim's husband, fled after the shooting. Police surrounded his accommodation, while the school was ordered to close and mental health experts were asked to support students and staff.

The shooting happened at about 11 am at Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten in Chonburi province, around 150 km southeast of Bangkok. According to the Chonburi provincial government, none of the students was hurt in the attack.

Chonburi Governor Narit Niramaiwong ordered the school to shut after the incident, his office said. The governor also directed that mental health support be made available for the children and school employees.

School safety and gun violence in Thailand have come under scrutiny after a 14-year-old student opened fire at his high school and family home in August, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life. Earlier this month, another 14-year-old was arrested after firing several shots at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province, about 200 km north of Bangkok, without injuring anyone.

Calls for tighter control of firearms have grown, and the national government has ordered a review of gun rules, including a suspension of new permits to buy firearms and a review of existing permits. Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite relatively restrictive gun laws, and while mass shootings remain rare, the country has seen a rise in high-profile attacks in recent years.

In Wednesday's shooting, a teacher was killed inside a kindergarten in Chonburi, but all 44 children and three other teachers were brought out safely as police searched for the suspected gunman.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends