Prayers, sorrow at temples as Thailand mourns kids slain in bloodbath By Reuters

By Poppy McPherson and Jorge Silva

UTHAI SAWAN, Thailand (Reuters) – Tons of of individuals gathered in temples in northeast Thailand on Saturday, providing candles, toys and prayers to mark the lives of greater than 30 largely baby victims of a gun and knife rampage that despatched shock all over the world.

Many of the kids, aged between two and 5, had been slashed to demise on Thursday, whereas adults had been shot, police mentioned within the aftermath of one of many world’s worst baby demise tolls in a bloodbath by a single killer in latest historical past.

On the Si Uthai temple on Saturday, kin and household of these killed joined a devastated neighborhood in paying respects to these slain by a former Bangkok policeman, who was suspended from police responsibility after admitting to utilizing methamphetamines.

They lit candles earlier than coffins topped with floral wreaths and framed pictures of the lifeless, together with toddler Pattarawat Jamnongnid, wearing a pink American soccer shirt, who was one among two baby victims nicknamed “Captain”, after a well-known actor.

Atop his coffin was a mannequin dinosaur and a bottle of milk.

His mom, 40-year-old manufacturing unit employee Daoreung Jamnongnid, mentioned he was her solely baby and was energetic and talkative.

At two years and 10 months, he was the youngest sufferer, she mentioned, and he already knew the alphabet.

“He was so good,” Daoreung mentioned. “He appreciated to observe documentaries along with his father.”

The previous policeman’s final victims had been his spouse and baby at dwelling, earlier than he turned the gun on himself.

Police recognized the attacker as Panya Khamrap, 34, a former police sergeant who was dealing with trial on a medication cost.

It was not clear if Panya nonetheless used medicine. An post-mortem report indicated he had not used them on the day of the assault, police mentioned on Friday.

‘EVIL INCIDENT’

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was involved about trauma locally after the tragedy, his spokesperson mentioned on Saturday.

The psychological well being division urged folks to not watch information protection of the aftermath and to stop sharing violent pictures on social media.

“The prime minister requested everybody to help one another and get via this brutal loss collectively,” authorities spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri mentioned.

Three boys and two ladies survived the assault and all however a kind of was in hospital, in line with police.

Late on Friday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn visited the hospital the place the injured had been taken.

Wearing a darkish gray go well with, the king mentioned he was deeply saddened and expressed his sorrow over what was “an evil incident”.

“There aren’t any different phrases to explain this sense,” he advised folks on the hospital.

“I wish to provide you with all ethical help to be robust, in order that the souls of these kids can have a way of reduction that their households will stay robust and be capable to transfer ahead.”

Kittisak Polprakan, 29, who was within the space on the time of the killing spree, on Friday described Panya as being calm as he emerged from the daycare centre having killed 22 preschool kids, slashing most of them with a big curved blade.

“I did not assume a tragedy had occurred … it was so quiet,” he mentioned.

“There was no noise, no screaming, nothing. It was solely him who walked out.”

On Saturday, folks left toy flowers and toy vans exterior the Uthai Sawan daycare centre, in an providing to the spirits of these killed.

At one other temple, Wat Rat Samakee, feelings had been intense, with kin crying as saffron-robed monks chanted.

Villagers sat on carpets with arms clasped collectively in entrance a sequence of caskets adorned with flowers and portraits of smiling kids murdered within the ex-policeman’s rampage.

A big toy sports activities automotive was positioned on one of many coffins lined with gold-coloured material bearing Buddhist symbols.

One lady wearing black, who misplaced two nephews aged 3, was seen weeping as she knelt, palms pressed towards one among their coffins.