A police officer in eastern Thailand surrendered to authorities Thursday after an 18-hour standoff, following allegations he fatally shot his wife at the kindergarten where she worked. The suspect, identified as Tatsapong Tongthat, an officer at the Bang Lamung station in Chonburi province, allegedly killed his wife on Wednesday morning inside a building at the Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten.
Authorities stated that Tongthat fled to his home after the incident. Police surrounded the residence, where he remained until his surrender. All 44 students and other staff at the school were unharmed and evacuated safely after the shooting.
Classes at the kindergarten have been suspended until Friday as a precautionary measure. The incident has renewed scrutiny of school safety and gun violence in Thailand. The country has experienced several high-profile attacks in recent years. In August, a 14-year-old boy killed eight people and injured more than 20 others in an attack at his high school and family home before apparently taking his own life. Earlier in September, another 14-year-old student fired shots at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province, but no one was injured.
These events have intensified calls for stricter gun control. The national government has initiated a review of existing firearm regulations and has suspended the issuance of new permits for firearm purchases. Despite having relatively strict gun laws, Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, and the frequency of notable shootings has increased recently.