22 Children, 8-month Pregnant Staff Among 34 Killed as former Police officer gate-crashes  Day-care Centre; Drives Home, Shoots himself, Family

New Delhi: At least 34 people, including 22 children, were killed in a mass shooting in the northeastern province of Thailand; soon after the incident, the gunman drove back home and killed his wife and child before shooting himself dead.

Panya Khamrab – a former police officer dismissed from the force last year for drug use, was armed with a pistol and a knife when he stormed a daycare centre in Nong Bua Lam Phu province.

He then went on a shooting spree killing children as young as two-three years old. The gunman first shot four or five staff, including a teacher who was eight months pregnant.

About 30 children were at the centre when the gunman came in around lunchtime. The gunman fled the scene in a vehicle after his killing spree and reportedly went home, killing himself, his wife and his child.

Earlier today, Deputy Police spokesperson Archon Kraitong said: "There are at least 20 dead, but details are still coming in."

The daycare school and the killed home have been sealed, and police and forensic teams are collecting the evidence.

A pall of gloom has spread across the country. Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayuth Chan-Ocha offered condolences to the victims' families. Mass shootings are relatively rare in Thailand, although gun ownership is high.