Thais have turned to social media to mourn as 4.7 million individuals despatched posts beneath a commemorative hashtag on Friday.

Grief and anger have engulfed Thailand a day after the mass killing of youngsters and adults at a preschool daycare centre by a former Thai police officer who went on a rampage of stabbing and taking pictures earlier than he shot his spouse, baby, and himself.

The nation reeled as particulars of Thursday’s grisly assault in a small city in one of many nation’s poorest areas emerged, and because the demise toll mounted to ultimately attain 37 lifeless with no less than 24 kids among the many slain.

What unfolded on the daycare centre within the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu has been described because the worst mass killing by a single attacker in Thailand’s current historical past.

Thailand’s royal family and authorities representatives in white army uniforms laid wreaths at ceremonial tables in entrance of the daycare centre’s most important door on Friday morning, as a pale Thai flag flew at half-staff above.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha visited the location on Friday. Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida have been anticipated to go to hospitals, the place seven of the ten individuals who have been wounded stay.

A vigil was deliberate in a central Bangkok park.

The mom of Supaporn Pramongmuk, a 25-year-old trainer on the centre who was eight months pregnant and killed alongside along with her younger college students, stated she had cried till her tears ran dry.

“Tears are falling inside my coronary heart,” Pranee Srisutham instructed Al Jazeera on Thursday evening at an emergency centre arrange close to the preschool.

“I can’t cry, I can’t communicate,” she stated.

‘Tiny angels’

Individuals turned to social media to mourn. Greater than 4.7 million individuals had despatched posts by Friday afternoon beneath a Thai hashtag that translated as #MassShootingNongBuaLamphu.

“Humanity, not tiny angels, died,” wrote one Twitter consumer, recognized as @psmyheart.

Another messages included, “RIP Youngsters of Heaven” and “I hope you might be reborn as angels in heaven”.

On the Fb web page of the Mutahi Sawant Youngster Improvement Centre, the place the assault passed off, tons of of individuals posted condolences beneath the centre’s final publish earlier than the bloodbath – that ultimate publish was an account of a go to the youngsters had made to a Buddhist temple in September.

“It’s so heart-breaking. They have been small youngsters, they didn’t deserve this. A few of them have been nonetheless of their afternoon naps,” stated 29-year-old Bangkok resident Chamita Itthiponwitoon.

Police recognized the attacker as Panya Kamrap, 34, a former police sergeant who was fired earlier this 12 months due to a drug cost involving methamphetamine.

He had been because of seem in courtroom on Friday. An worker instructed a Thai TV station that Panya’s son had attended the daycare centre however had not been there for a couple of month.

After attacking the youngsters and workers on the centre, Panya drove residence and shot his spouse and son earlier than turning the gun on himself, police stated.

Youngster victims

A lot of the baby victims have been aged between two and 5 years of age, many have been killed with a machete-like blade farmers use to chop sugarcane, police stated.

Amid the grief, questions are being raised about weapons, medication, psychological well being and the accountability of the safety forces in Thailand.

The assault comes two years after a mass taking pictures by an ex-soldier at a shopping center and armed forces base in Nakhon Ratchasima province, generally referred to as Korat, wherein 29 individuals have been killed.

“The mass shootings in Korat and Nong Bua Lamphu replicate some issues within the military and police, together with psychological well being and issues with command,” opposition politician Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn stated in a publish on Twitter shared 125,000 occasions.

“If the issues aren’t solved, it could imply that the lives of individuals are in danger from the individuals who have these weapons of their arms.”

Twitter consumer @jaoohja touched a nerve with a publish shared greater than 14,500 occasions that included {a photograph} of some graffiti with the message: “Who do you name when the police homicide?”