The Land of Tears
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A former Thai police officer killed at least 36 people, most of them children, Thursday, in what has been described as the Southeast Asian nation’s deadliest rampage ever, USA Today reported.
Authorities said the attacks took place in the rural town of Uthai Sawan, about 330 miles northeast of Bangkok. The rampage began when disgraced officer Panya Kamrap barged into a daycare, shooting and slashing at least 22 children and two adults. He then drove off and began randomly shooting and slashing people in the street.
Panya later went home and killed his wife and child before committing suicide.
Police officials suggested Panya was under the influence of drugs during the time of the attack. They added that the former officer was expelled from the force in June and faced charges of possessing methamphetamine pills.
He was set to appear in court Friday on drug charges.
The incident rattled the nation, which was already rocked by a mass shooting two years before: In 2020, a soldier opened fire at a shopping mall and other locations in the southern city of Nakhon Ratchasima, killing 29 people and wounding 58.
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