Attack in Nakhon Ratchasima leaves dozens dead; Thai officials say gunman shot dead
Death tolls reported between 20 and 29 after an attack that began at a military camp on 8 February 2020 and ended at a Korat shopping centre the following morning.
By AI ReporterFirst reported Feb 8, 2020, 1:52 p.m. ETWritten Aug 7, 2026, 11:53 p.m. ET
Shoppers were inside Terminal , a seven-floor shopping complex in , Thailand — described by the BBC as designed on an airport theme — when a gunman arrived on Saturday 8 February 2020. According to the BBC, the attack began at about 15:30 local time (08:30 GMT) at the Suatham Phithak Military Camp before moving to the shopping complex. The BBC reported that people had begun leaving in an orderly fashion when police arrived at about :00, then started running when shots rang out. This remains a developing story.
Death tolls reported by news outlets differ. The BBC reported figures of and of dead, while CNN reported dead, attributed to police. The BBC reported that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, speaking outside a hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima at , gave a revised toll of plus the gunman, with wounded, up from an earlier official figure of ; the BBC and CNN differ over whether the figures date from Sunday 9 February or from that briefing. Earlier in the night, the BBC reported an official toll of 16 at :, and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnverakul was reported as saying at 23:50 that had died — 16 at the scene and four in hospital — with two police officers shot in the back and the leg undergoing surgery. Colonel Krishna Phatthanacharoen, deputy spokesman for the Royal , was reported at 19:55 as confirming more than 10 dead. The BBC reported that a member of the security forces died during the operation.
One victim has been publicly named: Ratchanon Karnchanamethee, whose name was released by his father, Natthawut Karnchanamethee, at the morgue, the BBC reported. In its timeline of the attack, the BBC also named Col Anantharot Krasae, 48, and Col Anantharot's 63-year-old mother-in-law, Anong Mitchan, as killed at the military camp. Other identities have not been released.
The BBC reported that the security forces announced at 09:00 on 9 February that they had shot dead the gunman, about 16 hours after the attack began. posted on Facebook that morning: "Thank you police and army for ending the situation. Shooter shot dead!!!" named the suspect as , 32, a soldier who police said killed his commanding officer before taking weapons from the military camp. No motive has been established. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said: "It is unprecedented in Thailand, and I want this to be the last time this crisis happens," and added: "I hope this is the only one and the last incident, and that it never happens again. No-one wants this to happen. It could be because of this person's mental health in this particular moment."
Police, forensic experts, the Royal , the Thai army and the Ministry of Defence were among the responding agencies, according to BBC reporting. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said at 23:09 that the military would assist police in protecting the shopping centre and helping trapped people escape. During the response, army officials asked news outlets to stop live coverage of the attack to avoid giving the suspect information about their operations. On Sunday 9 February, a vigil for the victims was held in Nakhon Ratchasima, with monks chanting prayers.
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