A meeting of provincial authorities and the owner of Lee Mart Super Kasong on Monday agreed that 32 stores, which rented space in the building, would be relocated.

Phongpawan Jitbanjertkun, a Trang city planner official, said yesterday: “After inspecting the building, it is obvious that it has suffered considerable water damage.”

The structure is stable and can still be used, but the internal areas have been significantly destroyed.

“Considering the damage, renovations to the building will not be worthwhile and as the building is more than 30 years old, I suggest demolishing it and then reconstructing the structure,” he said.

Meanwhile Wanrai Arunoprayaot, owner of the building, said that the fire had caused more than Bt50 million worth of damage.

He added that the building was iinsured for Bt50 million. The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined.

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.