One gunman, four locations, 29 dead: how the mass shooting in Thailand unfolded

Reuters
Updated ·2 min read
Thai security forces evacuate students stranded inside the Terminal 21 shopping mall following a gun battle to try to stop a soldier on a rampage after a mass shooting, Nakhon Ratchasima

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Authorities are still piecing together details of how a soldier killed at least 29 people and wounded dozens more in a rampage in and around the northeastern Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima.

Here is roughly how the killings unfolded, according to Reuters interviews, local media and police accounts. All times are local (GMT +7 hours).

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

12:10 p.m. (0510 GMT) - Soldier Jakrapanth Thomma writes on his Facebook page complaining about people who grow rich by cheating and taking advantage of others. "Do they think they can spend the money in hell?" the post ends.

3 p.m. - Jakrapanth arrives at a house to discuss a property dispute in the presence of his commanding officer. After an argument, he shoots dead his commander and a woman described as a relative of the officer.

4 p.m. - He goes to the Surathamphitak army base where he worked, kills an army guard and steals weapons from the armory. He commandeers a Humvee.

4:30 p.m. - He stops at a Buddhist temple and opens fire as authorities pursue him, killing around nine people including a police officer, before driving away

5:30 p.m. - The soldier arrives at Terminal 21 shopping mall where he begins to open fire on panicked shoppers. At least 12 people are killed.

5:50 p.m. - Police shut down a cordon of about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) around the mall.

6 p.m. - Gunshots are heard and a fire breaks out at the mall after a soldier shoots either an electricity station or a fuel tank.

6:30 p.m. - The soldier posts another message on his Facebook page: "Death is inevitable for everyone."

8 p.m. - Police bring the shooter's crying mother from home in Chaiyaphum province to Nakhon Ratchasima to help ask the soldier to surrender.

9:30 p.m. - Facebook says it has shut down the shooter's page.

10:15 p.m. - Thai security forces storm into the mall and help hundreds of trapped people escape.

10:50 p.m. - Police say they have taken control of the ground floor of the mall.

SUNDAY, FEB. 9

12:30 a.m. - The soldier escapes to the shopping center's basement, which houses a food court and grocery store. More security forces move inside the mall.

2 a.m. - Bursts of gunfire are heard as security forces hunt for the shooter.

3 a.m. - Two casualties are brought out of the mall on stretchers as authorities continue to hunt for the gunman.

3:20 a.m. - At least four children are seen escaping from the mall.

8 a.m. - Security forces move closer to the shooter inside the basement.

9:05 a.m. - Security forces shoot and kill the gunman.

(Compiled by Orathai Sriring and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Frances Kerry)