Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

A11
WORLD NEWS Monday 10 February 2020

Thailand mourns victims of country's deadliest mass shooting

By PREEYAPA T. KHUNSONG After most mall employees run and find somewhere to
and TASSANEE VEJPONGSA and shoppers were evacu- hide. But I could only take
Associated Press ated, a joint police and two steps and then I heard
NAKHON RATCHASIMA, military team hunted down the sound — ‘bang.’ My
Thailand (AP) — As mourn- the gunman and killed him. leg just went and I couldn’t
ing began for the victims “This incident was unprece- walk. A good Samaritan
of Thailand’s worst mass dented in Thailand,” Prime helped carry me away.”
shooting, the country Minister Prayuth Chan- High school student Nach-
counted its losses: a moth- ocha told reporters as he ote Chotiklang said he was
er shot dead at the wheel gave a casualty count in his mother’s car as she
of her car as her son sat after visiting the victims in passed the gunman’s ve-
beside her, a 13-year-old hospitals. By the end of the hicle.
student gunned down as day, the toll had risen to 29 The assailant “got out of
he was riding his motorbike people killed. the car and fired into the
home and more than two The death toll surpassed window. At that, I ducked
dozen other people. Thailand’s last major attack down and didn’t do any-
Authorities said the attack on civilians, a 2015 bomb- thing until I felt that car hit
was carried out by a single ing at Bangkok’s Erawan something. It hit a tree.”
gunman — a disgruntled Shrine that was allegedly “What happened to your
soldier who opened fire on carried out by human traf- mom?” Suwat asked.
strangers before he was fickers who killed 20. Nachote shook his head A group of armed commando soldiers walk close together
outside Terminal 21 Korat mall, in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
fatally shot Sunday at a “I hope this is the only while another man ex- on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020.
shopping mall. Another 58 one and the last incident plained that she had died. Associated Press
people were wounded. and that it never happens Another harrowing tragedy
The dead were mourned again. No one wants this was recalled by Nuttawut his way to the mall. Racha- plans for him, growing up.
Sunday night in Nakhon to happen. It could be be- Kanchanamethi, father non, the family’s only child, That’s all. We didn’t impose
Ratchasima, a hub for Thai- cause of this person’s men- of 13-year-old Rachanon was one of the first victims. any expectations on him.”
land’s relatively poor and tal health in this particular Kanchanamethi, who had The father spoke at the first Nuttawut paused for a long
rural northeastern region. moment,” Prayuth said. the nickname James Bond. day of his son’s Buddhist fu- moment.
More than 1,000 people He said he was worried The middle school student neral. “I want to continue taking
turned up for the vigil led that people inside the mall was riding his motorbike “I don’t want to lose him care of him, but I no longer
by Buddhist monks. They could be accidentally home when the gunman like this,” Nuttawut said. have that opportunity,” he
lit candles and prayed hit by bullets fired by po- fired on him from his car on “This is too sudden. We had said, breaking into sobs.q
and chanted in the town lice, but added, “I have
square featuring a statue checked, that didn’t hap-
of Thao Suranari, a gover- pen.”
nor’s wife who is revered Video taken outside the
for leading troops against mall showed people diving
invaders from Laos two for cover as shots rang out.
centuries ago. Many were killed outside
Officials said the gunman the mall, some in cars and
was angry over a financial others while walking.
dispute with his command- Survivors and victims’ fami-
ing officer. He made Col. lies gathered during the
Anantarote Krasae his first day at the city’s hospitals,
victim before stealing guns where they recounted their
from an army camp and ordeals.
heading to the mall, shoot- Cpl. Korakot Ampanngeun
ing wildly along the way at was visited by Suwat Lipta-
people inside and outside panlop, a prominent politi-
the building. cian from the area.
The attacker was identified “I received an order from
as Sgt. Maj. Jakrapanth my superior to block off the
Thomma, who holed him- road so that no one could
self up in the Terminal 21 go in the direction” of the
Korat, an airport-themed gunman, the corporal re-
mall filled with colorful Lego called. “So I was signaling
sculptures, a merry-go- to oncoming traffic, when
round and huge replicas of I turned around and saw
landmarks from around the him. If I had not, I would
world. not have survived. I tried to