The Deadliest Massacre in Thai History: Who or What is to Blame?

Who or what is to blame for Thailand’s worst ever mass murder?

The massacre of 36 people at a daycare in northern Thailand last week, including 24 children, prompted calls for stricter gun controls and a reinvigorated war on narcotics from the highest levels of Thai government. Meanwhile, grieving families in the Na Klang area of northeastern Thailand flocked to Buddhist temples to take part in mass cremations.

On October 6, ex-police officer Panya Khamrab murdered his wife and stepson before turning the pistol on himself. Khamrab attacked a pregnant instructor and several napping toddlers in the daycare. The Royal Thai Police said they dismissed Khamrab in June after finding him in possession of methamphetamine, and he was scheduled to stand trial the day after the slaughter.

Academic dean of Chiang Mai Theological Seminary and pastor of Grace New Life Church Patompon Kong remarked on the tragedy and how to make sense of the biggest mass slaughter in Thailand’s history.

Fear, perplexity, worry, anguish, bitterness, and loss have been stirred up among the Thai people as a result of the shooting at the Uthai Sawan Child Development Center. Numerous people have put the blame on various political, economic, and religious issues. However, Thai Christians believe that our own sinfulness is the root of the issue. The gospel is the sole hope for Thailand’s society (Col. 1:15-20). It is time to take a closer look at each of these issues.

There has been a shift in the last 40 years from an outstretched hand to a closed fist in Thai culture. Prior to modern times, Thais relied heavily on one another. It was expected that people would treat one another with respect and courtesy.

Unfortunately, modern society has conditioned individuals to only help those immediately next to them. People tend to compete for scarce goods rather than pool their efforts. Political differences are tearing apart neighborhoods, states, and even whole nations. Khamrab may not have gotten the assistance he needed because of this.

It was reported in the news that Khamrab often displayed violent behavior, including brandishing his police pistol and threatening individuals while under the influence of alcohol. Since high school, he had been abusing methamphetamine, and even as a police officer, he continued to acquire meth from drug traffickers.

According to his family, Khamrab approached the mayor about getting assistance for his drug issue, but the mayor turned him down since combating drug addiction and smuggling was too big of a task for the city government. He sought relief by inflicting pain on himself, his loved ones, and the community around him.

People have speculated about what may have driven Khamrab to commit the massacre ever since. The argumentative nature of his marriage is blamed by some. His financial difficulties, others said, stemmed from his dismissal from his work and Thailand’s poor economic situation as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

People debated whether or not only police officers should be allowed to hold weapons and whether the country’s gun control legislation might have avoided this tragedy. However, illegal gun ownership is often a contributing factor in shooting incidents. (Roughly 40% of firearms in Thailand are not legally owned.)

Some Thais blame the country’s moral decay for the assault. Ninety-three percent of Thais are Buddhists, but they respect the views of others since “every religion teaches us to be a good person,” a frequent phrase heard across the nation. If Christian values are so helpful to society, then why did this shooting occur? Where was the moral teaching and religious dogma?

It would be wrong to assume that religious morality is inherently bad. However, when faced with peer pressure, the ordinary individual does not act morally. This is a major contributor to the issues plaguing modern Thai culture.

Despite the fact that many organizations have stepped in to aid in the wake of the assault, I cannot look at what happened and put Khamrab’s actions down to drug misuse, lax gun laws, or economic pressures. Biblical scholarship is necessary if we are to understand the fundamental foundations of Thai culture.

Today’s difficulty stems from the fact that actions reveal nothing more than an individual’s inner condition. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory” (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). The gospel is the only means of salvation (Rom. 5:8, John 14:6, Hebrews 4:12). On 2020, a soldier opened fire in a Thai military base, killing 30 and wounding 58. These events highlight the fact that Thailand’s society has genuine challenges that must be addressed.

At the moment, Christians in Thailand are experiencing a lot of grief, anxiety, and instability. To get over this unfathomable catastrophe, church leaders urge their congregations to lean on God. Believe that God has control over everything, we tell our brothers and sisters. The will of God is unquestionable, and we are commanded by him to help one another in times of need.

A Christian’s first reaction to such a tragedy is to offer sympathies, mourn with our compatriots, pray for God’s strength to carry them through, and comfort the bereaved. However, Thai churches also need to be more vigilant if they think the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the solution to different difficulties.

The gospel has not yet reached the vast majority of Thais. Protestants make up barely 0.75 percent of the country’s 68 million people, despite missionaries preaching here for over 200 years, from 1828 to the present. Christians in Thailand need to be constantly sharing the gospel, testifying to others, praying, and serving as a positive influence on their communities (Matt. 5:13-16). Everyone involved must work together with public and private organizations.

After such a terrible event, our first priority must be to comfort the grieving and support the community. Therapy and guidance might help in this regard. On addition, congregations will require training in how to provide aid as a united body of believers in the aftermath of mass shootings.

The church may express its sorrow alongside the bereaved by holding online prayer gatherings in which Christians from all around the nation can take part. Through their prayers, sermons, and testimonies, Christians from other countries may also make a significant contribution to Thai society.

Christians in Thailand are still reeling from this unfathomable loss. Even when things become worse in Thailand, we won’t stop sharing the gospel and pointing people toward Jesus.