men Uthai Sawan, in northeastern Thailand, families have said their final goodbyes to the victims of the massacre that horrified the country. The attacker, a former police officer, opened fire and stabbed children at a daycare center before returning home to kill her girlfriend, her child and take her own life. He killed 36 people, mostly children.
It was the second mass murder in a few years in Thailandwhere such events have been rare, and the country has been searching for answers on how such a tragedy could have been prevented.
The attacker, Panya Khamrab, had been fired from the police for methamphetamine use, however an autopsy showed he had not used any drugs in the 72 hours before the attack.
the government has promised crackdown on drugs and possession of weapons. Commentators have also pointed to gaps in mental health services, especially within the police, saying deeper issues of corruption and patronage must be reformed. While the recent attack was carried out by a former police officer, an earlier shooting from 2020 was carried out by a soldier.
too many guns
Thailand has the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia, but the problem has been neglected, in part because mass shootings had not occurred until recent years, Phil Robertson said., deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch. “Thailand’s kind of honeymoon with these weapons, and hoping that something unique to Thailand would allow them not to face these kinds of mass killing episodes, now it’s finally happened,” Robertson said.
Currently, anyone who wants to own a gun must be at least 20 years old and undergo background checks, including their criminal record. Illegal possession can lead to 10 years in prison and a fine of 20,000 baht (US$525).
The government has promised to tighten controls, but critics say even the current rules are not properly enforced. Of the 10 million privately owned firearms in Thailand, 4 million are unregistered.
Associate Professor Dr. Kritsanapong Phutrakul, a former police officer and chairman of Rangsit University’s criminology faculty, said research suggests an amnesty could help. “But it depends, if someone who has illegal weapons doesn’t trust the government, what are they going to do?” he said.
The firearm owned by Panya was legally obtained. As a police officer, he benefited from a state-subsidized scheme that offered weapons at below market prices. When he was fired, he was not brought back.
Kritsanapong said some officers buy their own weapons and gasoline because their superiors don’t give them a large enough allowance. “They have to work without the full support of the state,” he said.
Ironically, strict internal police rules that make it impractical for officers to borrow weapons from the force also encourage people to buy their own, said Dr. Dhiyathad Prateeppornnarong, an associate professor of public administration at the National Institute Administration for Development.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has promised that former members of the police or military will be required to undergo regular screening for weapons possession, while also ordering officials to scan the community for drug addicts, so they can be sent to rehab. .
In Uthai Sawa, locals say methamphetamine is common. The tablets can be bought for as little as 20 baht, they say, and are available in a strawberry or chocolate flavour. The UN has also warned that prices in Thailand have fallen to historical lows due to an increase in supply.
At Nong Bua Lamphu Hospital’s Bua Khao Clinic, close to where the nursery attack occurred, patients seen for addiction have weekly appointments of up to 90 minutes for up to four months and then receive follow-up appointments for a year. It’s hard to get people to accept treatment or stick with it, said Julanit Janchomphoo, a senior nurse. “If you go back to the same environment, it’s very easy to come back in the circle,” she said.
Nong Bua Lamphu does not have a single public health psychiatrist, according to Thai PBS.
Nantaphol Chuenchooklin, who works for an NGO in Bangkok that helps people dealing with addiction, said rehabilitation services are also limited in the capital. He worries that the crackdown will only mean harsher treatment for drug users, who he says are already vulnerable to exploitation by police.
“It’s easier to take advantage of the poor,” he said. “If you really want to fix this problem, you need to focus on police reform.”
‘History will repeat itself’
Additional mental health checks for officers would be helpful, Dhiyathad said. But it is also the structures within the police, including their patronage system, that put enormous pressure on lower-ranking officers that need reform, he added.
Former police officers have often told the media and academics that promotions don’t depend on how well you serve the public, he said: “There are no career prospects if you don’t take good care of your boss.”
Past cases of misconduct indicate officers taking bribes, from drug syndicates or illegal businesses like pubs or brothels, to give to their superiors. Your boss then uses that money to buy a position in an area that is more lucrative.
Such a patronage system contributes to a culture where bad deeds are swept under the rug. On the occasions when someone is accused, he may be transferred to a different post or simply described as a bad apple. “I don’t think so, this is the rotten barrel,” said Dhiyathad.
Reforming the police would be a huge task, he added. “The government needs a lot of courage to do that, and I think people should support it,” said Dhiyathad. Public scrutiny after last week’s tragedy should not fade, he added: “If the police force is not reformed, history will repeat itself.”
