Policeman kills teacher wife at Thai school, kids safe

Thailand experienced another shooting incident on Wednesday when a police officer fatally shot his teacher wife at the kindergarten she worked at in Chonburi province, southeast of Bangkok. Fortunately, all the children were unharmed, according to officials. The gunman returned home after the shooting, where police were attempting to negotiate his surrender.

This incident follows a string of shootings in Thailand, including a recent one where a teenager killed his grandparents, five school staff members, and a pupil before taking his own life. The country has a high rate of gun ownership, and despite promises to tighten gun laws, shootings have continued to occur.

According to Sayan Klomaon, chairman of Nong Pla Lai sub-district council, the shooter, a local police officer, arrived at the school around 10:30 am and had a conversation with his wife before opening fire. The gunman then left for home, and all the children were safely evacuated by that time. Chonburi Governor Naris Niramaiwong confirmed that 44 children, along with three teachers and three other staff members, were safely evacuated.

The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, and the kindergarten has been closed. Psychological support is being provided to those who witnessed the incident. In 2022, an ex-policeman with a gun and a knife attacked a nursery in northern Thailand, killing 24 children and 12 adults, one of the deadliest massacres in the nation's history.