10 Feb 2020

Thousands gather for vigil in Thai city after shooting

From Morning Report, 7:21 am on 10 February 2020

Thousands of people have gathered for a vigil in the Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima to remember the 29 people shot dead by a soldier.

Officials say the gunman killed his commanding officer, then stole weapons and ammunitions.

He opened fire in a Buddhist temple and then drove to a shopping mall in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima and fired at shoppers.

Inside the mall people ran and hid wherever they could as news of the attack spread.

In the early hours of the attack, the gunman posted messages on Facebook, saying "death is inevitable for everyone".

They were quickly taken down but not before they were seen by people living in the area.

Security forces used the shopping mall's CCTV cameras and drones to find the trained marksman.

Fifteen hours after the standoff started, Jakraphanth Thomma was shot dead by security forces after being cornered in the building.

Richard Ehrlich is the Bangkok-based correspondent for The Washington Times.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.