Bangkok, Sept 10: A police officer accused of shooting dead his wife at a kindergarten in eastern Thailand surrendered on Thursday after an 18-hour standoff with authorities, officials said.
Tatsapong Tongthat, posted at the Bang Lamung police station in Chonburi province, allegedly shot his wife, who worked as a teacher, inside a building at Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten on Wednesday morning, according to the provincial government.
Following the shooting, Tongthat reportedly fled to his home. Police surrounded the house and launched negotiations, with the standoff continuing through the night before he surrendered on Thursday.
All 44 students at the kindergarten were unharmed and evacuated along with other teachers following the incident. Classes at the school have been suspended until Friday as a precaution, officials said.
The shooting comes amid growing concerns over gun violence and school safety in Thailand.
On August 7, a 14-year-old opened fire at his high school and family home, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life.
In another incident, a 14-year-old student was arrested on September 2 after firing several shots at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province. No one was injured in that incident.
The recent incidents have intensified calls for stricter firearm controls in the country. The Thai Government has ordered a review of gun regulations, including a suspension of new firearm purchase permits and a review of existing licences.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Asia despite relatively strict firearm laws. While mass shootings remain uncommon, the country has witnessed several high-profile gun attacks in recent years.
