NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (Reuters) – A Thai soldier who eliminated a minimum of 26 people, the majority of them in a shopping center in the northeast of the nation, was upset over a land offer including a relative of his commanding officer, authorities stated on Sunday.
Thai security forces shot and killed the rogue soldier after an overnight standoff at the Terminal 21 shopping mall in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, where most of the victims of the massacre were killed.
The soldier drove to the mall in a stolen Humvee and was equipped with an assault weapon and ammo taken from the army base’s arsenal, an official stated.
He initially published written messages on Facebook throughout the attack prior to his account was closed down by the company.
” It was a personal conflict … over a house offer,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told press reporters on Sunday from Nakhon Ratchasima after taking a trip there to consult with injured survivors.
Prayuth included that the conflict was with a relative of the soldier’s commander.
Hundreds of shoppers fled the shopping mall in groups crouching low, and the authorities and army launched several saves throughout the more than 12- hour standoff, with militaries at one point emerging at a run carrying small children.
” It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot … we waited a long time for the police to come and assist us, lots of hours,” said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul, 27, her voice shivering after she emer