Thailand's tragic childcare massacre leaves questions for a grieving nation

[webfact]

Coffins being transported after Thai mass shooting.

 

ANALYSIS

 

The Conversation / By Greg Raymond

 

At least 37 people were killed on Thursday by a lone gunman at a daycare centre in Thailand's north-eastern province of Nongbua Lamphu, local police say.

 

WARNING: Readers may find details in this story distressing.

 

Among the dead are at least 24 children, while the alleged gunman also killed his wife and child, then himself.

 

The alleged gunman was a former member of the police force, who was facing trial on a methamphetamine possession charge after having been dismissed from the police over drug allegations.

 

Ahead of the next election scheduled for around May 2023, this shocking incident will trigger a national conversation around gun control and drug use, as well as on questions of mental health, after a really difficult couple of years since the onset of COVID-19.

 

Full story: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-08/thai-childcare-massacre-fallout-guns-meth/101514444

 

-- © Copyright ABC NEWS 2022-10-08

 

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[ezzra]

There's no questions here to be asked, and no solution either, it's simply impossible to predict or to protect against every would me mad man who's in a an uncontrolled, drug induced psychotic rage picks up gun and goes on to kill children...

[Rimmer]

Off topic post about America removed

[nowhereman]

The reason that this tragedy happened lies in corruption and clientelism within RTP. Any other Thai or farang accused of possession of drugs would be safely guarded in prison until court's ruling and possibly after. My heart goes to the victims and their relatives.   

 

[Thingamabob]

Sadly this kind of horror occurs in many countries from time to time. Almost impossible to predict.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Sadly this kind of horror occurs in many countries from time to time. Almost impossible to predict.

Indeed, and thankfully very rare in Thailand.

[473geo]

9 hours ago, ezzra said:

There's no questions here to be asked, and no solution either, it's simply impossible to predict or to protect against every would me mad man who's in a an uncontrolled, drug induced psychotic rage picks up gun and goes on to kill children...

Agreed, analysis, blame, questions, suggested solutions, all inconsequential when the occasional loose cannon appears 

[Russell17au]

But the other side of this story is this madman being sacked from the police for selling drugs last year. It appears that this government is not interested in drug trafficking when it has appointed a minister into its own government who is a convicted, sentenced and deported after serving his sentence for drug trafficking in Australia with the excuse that it does not count because it happened outside of Thailand .Once a drug pusher always a drug pusher.

12 hours ago, ezzra said:

There's no questions here to be asked, and no solution either, it's simply impossible to predict or to protect against every would me mad man who's in a an uncontrolled, drug induced psychotic rage picks up gun and goes on to kill children...

Unfortunately ezzra there are questions to be answered and there was a solution that would have stopped this massacre. Why was this ex-cop released on bail or was he never arrested and placed on remand after his sacking in a remand centre like every other person after they are charged with these drug offences? If this had been done then he would have been removed from the streets and be in a controlled area where he could have been rehabilitated from the drugs and then after his remand and jail time he would not be going into an uncontrolled drug induced psychotic rage. Why does it take over a year for this ex-cop to appear in court for these offences? There are a lot of questions both the government and the judiciary owe the families of those murdered.

[mikebell]

Agree with Russell above.  The main question concerns the RTP's reluctance to do anything about the obvious bad apples in their rotten barrel.

[ikke1959]

failing enforcement of the laws is a big problem here in Thailand. A lot of problems occur by this lack of enforcement. Unfortunately situations like this happens all around the world. For one or another reason people loose their minds and make innocent victims... Hope there will no copy of it.

[bamnutsak]

13 hours ago, nowhereman said:

The reason that this tragedy happened lies in corruption and clientelism within RTP.

Short, succinct and accurate.

 

41 minutes ago, mikebell said:

The main question concerns the RTP's reluctance to do anything about the obvious bad apples in their rotten barrel.

The problem is way past bad apples, bad barrels or bad trees. The entire orchard is rotten to the core after having been corrupted for decades.

 

And there is no will in the country to address this.

 

 

Drugs move into, and through, the country with the knowledge of the authorities. To suggest that they don't, or that all drugs are siezed, borders on the ridiculous. The security apparatus here is MASSIVE. They could shut down most of the volume meth drug trade if they wanted to.

 

[spidermike007]

9 hours ago, Russell17au said:

But the other side of this story is this madman being sacked from the police for selling drugs last year. It appears that this government is not interested in drug trafficking when it has appointed a minister into its own government who is a convicted, sentenced and deported after serving his sentence for drug trafficking in Australia with the excuse that it does not count because it happened outside of Thailand .Once a drug pusher always a drug pusher.

Unfortunately ezzra there are questions to be answered and there was a solution that would have stopped this massacre. Why was this ex-cop released on bail or was he never arrested and placed on remand after his sacking in a remand centre like every other person after they are charged with these drug offences? If this had been done then he would have been removed from the streets and be in a controlled area where he could have been rehabilitated from the drugs and then after his remand and jail time he would not be going into an uncontrolled drug induced psychotic rage. Why does it take over a year for this ex-cop to appear in court for these offences? There are a lot of questions both the government and the judiciary owe the families of those murdered.

And they will never be answered. Looking within for the source of the problem, and taking responsibility for one's actions, or lack of action is simply not something many here are capable of. Least of all the leadership. They are masters of blame, obfuscation, misdirection, fake news, and lies. 

[spidermike007]

15 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Short, succinct and accurate.

 

The problem is way past bad apples, bad barrels or bad trees. The entire orchard is rotten to the core after having been corrupted for decades.

 

And there is no will in the country to address this.

 

 

Drugs move into, and through, the country with the knowledge of the authorities. To suggest that they don't, or that all drugs are siezed, borders on the ridiculous. The security apparatus here is MASSIVE. They could shut down most of the volume meth drug trade if they wanted to.

 

Very true. And by now the vast majority of Prayuth's rhetoric about cleaning up the country, has been proven to be as credible as Trump's promise to drain the swamp.

 

He never made the slightest effort. The army is as filthy, corrupt and morally bankrupt as any group who came before it. Maybe more so. Not only are they not of much benefit to the nation, they drain valuable resources. And for what? What does the nation get in return? 

[bobbin]

On 10/8/2022 at 10:50 AM, ezzra said:

There's no questions here to be asked, and no solution either, it's simply impossible to predict or to protect against every would me mad man who's in a an uncontrolled, drug induced psychotic rage picks up gun and goes on to kill children...

Below is your response edited to reflect facts of the case...

 

"There's no questions here to be asked, and no solution either, it's simply impossible to predict or to protect against every would me mad man who's in a an uncontrolled,  psychotic rage picks up gun and goes on to kill children.."

 

Police autopsy found no drugs in his system. Of course the case is drug-related, but at the time of the massacre he was stone cold sober.