Police had surrounded a next-door neighbour’s home where Pornpichit Yongsata, 40, had barricaded himself inside. At about 5.30pm they made their move and Pornpichit shot himself in the head. He was rushed to hospital.

His two dead sons and two dead daughters were aged five to 15. Pornpichit told police he wanted to meet with his wife, whom he divorced five months ago, and threatened to kill himself and her. While police negotiated with him, a police team used a ladder to access a second-floor bedroom to his home and removed the bodies of the children at around noon. They were sent to Palian Hospital’s morgue. The gunshots were heard at around 2am but many people thought they were firecrackers.

Police were notified of what had happened by a relative of the family noticed the children had not gone to school and went to the family’s house, which is opposite her home.