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In Uthai Sawan, in north-eastern Thailand, households have stated a last goodbye to the victims of the mass killing that horrified the nation. The attacker, a former police officer, opened hearth and stabbed kids at a nursery earlier than returning house to kill his girlfriend, her son and take his personal life. He killed 36 folks, largely kids.
It was the second mass killing to happen in only a few years in Thailand, the place such occasions have been uncommon, and the nation has been looking for solutions over how such a tragedy might have been prevented.
The attacker, Panya Khamrab, had been fired from the police for methamphetamine use, nevertheless an post-mortem confirmed he had not taken any medicine within the 72 hours previous to the assault.
The federal government has promised a crackdown on medicine and gun possession. Commentators have additionally pointed to gaps in psychological well being providers, particularly inside the police, and say deeper issues of corruption and patronage have to be reformed. Whereas the current assault was by a former police officer, a earlier 2020 taking pictures was by a soldier.
Too many weapons
Thailand has the best gun possession fee in south-east Asia, but the difficulty has been uncared for – partly as a result of no mass shootings had occurred till current years, stated Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division. “Thailand’s form of honeymoon with these arms – and anticipating that one thing distinctive to Thailand will enable them to not face these sorts of mass killing episodes – it’s now lastly handed,” Robertson stated.
At the moment, anybody who needs to personal a gun have to be a minimum of 20 and bear background checks, together with of their prison file. Unlawful possession can result in 10 years in jail and a positive of 20,000 baht ($US525).
The federal government has promised to tighten checks, however critics level out that even the present guidelines should not correctly enforced. Of the 10m privately owned weapons in Thailand, 4m are unregistered.
Affiliate Prof Dr Kritsanapong Phutrakul, a former police officer and chair of the college of criminology at Rangsit College, stated that analysis suggests an amnesty might assist. “But it surely relies upon – if somebody who has unlawful weapons doesn’t belief the federal government, what are they going to do?” he stated.
The firearm owned by Panya was obtained legally. As a police officer, he benefited from a state-subsidised scheme providing weapons at a below-market fee. When he was fired, it was not taken again.
Kritsanapong stated some officers purchase their very own weapons and fuel as a result of they aren’t given a sufficiently big allowance by superiors. “They should work with out full assist from the state,” he stated.
Paradoxically, strict inner police guidelines that make it impractical for officers to borrow weapons from the power additionally encourage folks to purchase their very own, stated Dr Dhiyathad Prateeppornnarong, affiliate professor of public administration on the Nationwide Institute of Growth Administration.
The prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, promised that former members of the police or army might want to bear common evaluations for gun possession, whereas he has additionally ordered officers to scan the group for drug addicts, in order that they are often despatched to rehabilitation.
In Uthai Sawa, locals say methamphetamine is widespread. Tablets may be purchased for at little as 20 baht, they are saying, and can be found with a strawberry or chocolate scent. The UN has additionally warned that costs in Thailand have fallen to all-time lows resulting from a surge in provide.
At Bua Khao clinic in Nong Bua Lamphu hospital, near the place the nursery assault occurred, sufferers seen for habit have weekly appointments of as much as 90 minutes for as much as 4 months, after which obtain follow-up appointments for one 12 months. It’s laborious to get folks to comply with therapy, or to keep it up, stated Julanit Janchomphoo, a senior nurse. “When you return to the identical surroundings, it’s really easy to get again into the circle,” she stated.
Nong Bua Lamphu doesn’t have a single public well being psychiatrist, in accordance with Thai PBS.
Nantaphol Chuenchooklin, who works for an NGO in Bangkok serving to people who find themselves coping with habit, stated rehabilitation providers are additionally restricted within the capital. He worries that crackdowns will simply imply harsher therapy of drug customers, who he says are already weak to exploitation by police.
“Poor persons are simpler to benefit from,” he stated. “When you actually need to repair this drawback, you must concentrate on police reform.”
‘Historical past will repeat’
Extra psychological well being checks for officers could be useful, stated Dhiyathad. However additionally it is the constructions inside the police – together with its system of patronage, putting immense stress on low rating officers – that want reform, he added.
Ex-police officers have typically instructed the media and teachers that promotions rely not on how properly you serve the general public, he stated: “There isn’t any profession prospect if you’re not taking excellent care of your boss.”
Earlier misconduct instances point out officers accumulate bribes, from medicine syndicates or unlawful companies reminiscent of pubs or brothels, to present to their superior. Their boss then makes use of that cash to purchase a place in an space that’s extra profitable.
Such a system of patronage contributes to a tradition the place wrongdoing is swept below the rug. On the events that somebody is accused, they may be transferred to a unique submit, or described as merely being a nasty apple. “I don’t assume so, that is the rotten barrel,” stated Dhiyathad.
Reforming the police could be an enormous process, he added. “The federal government wants a lot braveness to do this, and I believe the folks must assist it,” stated Dhiyathad. Public scrutiny after final week’s tragedy shouldn’t dissipate, he added: “If the police power just isn’t reformed, historical past will repeat itself.”
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