A former police officer wielding a shotgun, a pistol and a knife went on the rampage at a childcare centre in Nong Bua Lamphu province. This is not the first mass shooting that has taken place in this country.
Irrespective of the circumstances and state of mind of this former police officer, one thing we can say is that the trend in mass shootings are partly due to the culture of worshipping men with guns in a society controlled by military juntas. As long as we allow the generals to stage coups and shoot down unarmed pro-democracy protesters in the street, with no prosecutions of these killers and thugs, the “rule of the gun” will be given legitimacy.
What is worse, this worship of the armed thugs of the state is reinforced among young children. Just look at what the army does on Children’s Day.
To make matters worse than they ever could be for the bereaved parents and relatives of those killed at the nursery, the junta’s government organised a gross spectacle of a royal visit to the nursery in an attempt to show they cared.
But King Wachiralongkorn showed his total arrogance and selfishness when he visited the nursery at 9 O’clock at night!! All this because he couldn’t be arsed to get up early. So not only did the bereaved have to grovel on the floor in front of this oaf, they had to wait until late evening to do it. This is not the first time that Wachiralongkorn has behaved in this way. He is known for turning up at university degree ceremonies at 11 O’clock at night, keeping graduates waiting for hours.
We need to get rid of the monarchy and the military junta and build a fair and civilised society.
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
Uglytruth-Thailand 