A gunman opened fire at a child-care facility in Thailand's Nong Bua Lampu province, killing at least 31 people, including both children and adults, local police have said.
Police added that at least 23 children are among the victims.
Police identified the gunman as former police officer Panya Khamrab, adding that he was dismissed from the force for drug-related offences last year.
Immediately following the attack, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered a manhunt to capture the perpetrator, who reportedly fled the scene in a pick-up truck.
Thai media have said that he killed himself in the wake of the shooting, adding that he also killed his wife and children.
According to the police, the man used both a firearm and a knife in a combined shooting and stabbing attack, causing multiple casualties.
Although mass-shootings are rare in Thailand, rates of gun-ownership in the country are higher than other nations in Southeast Asia.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
