Thai Police Officer Surrenders After Fatal Kindergarten Shooting, 18-Hour Standoff

A police officer in eastern Thailand surrendered to authorities on Thursday, ending an 18-hour standoff that began after he allegedly shot and killed his wife at the kindergarten where she worked as a teacher.

The suspect, identified as Tatsapong Tongthat of the Bang Lamung police station in Chonburi province, is accused of shooting his wife late Wednesday morning inside a building at the Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten. The school is located roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok, according to the provincial government.

After the shooting, the officer fled to his home, where police surrounded the property. He remained inside until he surrendered, officials said.

All 44 students at the school were unharmed and were evacuated along with other teachers following the incident. Classes were suspended until Friday as a precaution, authorities added.

The shooting has renewed attention on school safety and gun violence in Thailand, which has experienced several high-profile attacks in recent years. On August 7, a 14-year-old opened fire at his high school and family home, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life. Separately, on September 2, another 14-year-old student was arrested after firing several shots at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Bangkok. No one was injured in that incident.

In response to growing public concern, the national government has ordered a review of gun regulations, including a suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits. Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite fairly restrictive gun laws, and while mass shootings remain rare, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile attacks in recent years.