The people of Thailand are united in deep sorrow after the bloodbath at a day care center.

The relatives of the victims met on Friday in front of the building in the town of Uthai Sawan, in which a fired police officer had attacked children and adults the day before with unimaginable violence.

They cried and held each other in their arms.

Some were filmed laying down white roses in front of the daycare center.

People in tears could also be seen clutching baby blankets and favorite toys in memory of their children.

Flags at half mast

Till Fähnders

Political correspondent for Southeast Asia.

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As reported by the local press, the authorities had taken the white and pink children's coffins to a morgue in the city of Udon Thani during the night.

People all over the world shared in the suffering of families.

In Thailand, the flags hung at half-mast.

Governments of many countries sent messages of condolences.

The royal family announced that King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida would travel to Nong Bua Lamphu province in the evening to offer assistance to the relatives.

In the afternoon, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha left a bouquet of white flowers at the daycare center.

The number of dead was given as 37 people on Friday.

Among the victims were more than 20 children between the ages of two and five.

Motive still unclear

About a dozen people were injured, some seriously.

The 34-year-old former police officer Panya Kamrab stormed into the daycare center with a pistol and a knife around noon on Thursday.

He first killed some of the daycare workers, including a caregiver who was eight months pregnant.

Then he gained access to a locked room where the children were taking their afternoon nap.

According to the police, the perpetrator is said to have stabbed most of the victims with a knife.

Only a little girl escaped unharmed.

He then shot two other people from his car and finally killed his wife, their son and himself at home.

Contrary to initial reports, it was not his biological child.

The motive for the crime was not clear on Friday.

Government officials speculated about the man's mental problems.

According to the Bangkok Post, he was fired from the police force for possession of methamphetamine pills.

According to some reports, a verdict on him should be pronounced on Friday.

"I don't know, but he was under a lot of pressure," the perpetrator's mother said of his motive.

She suspected her son was on drugs because he hadn't been able to talk to her normally before.

However, no traces of drugs were found during an autopsy.