Bangkok Post reported that the shocking fire started at 3:30 p.m. on February 8 when a soldier shot and killed the commander and two others at the Surathampithak military camp. The attackers stole many weapons and ammunition and fled in a stolen Humvee.
The attackers who fired shells at civilians along the way from the tent to the terminal 21 shopping mall are extremely crowded during the weekend. Here, the gunman continued to shoot down many other victims and live-stream the attack on Facebook.
Thai media also released a video showing the soldiers who caused the shake-off leave a car in front of a shopping mall at around 6pm and fire a series of bullets, causing panic among residents to flee. The sound of gunfire can be clearly heard in this video. The attackers then fired at a gas tank, causing explosions and fires.
Soldiers from the combat unit were deployed to the shopping mall when the attackers took about 16 hostages on the 4th floor of the building.
Shooters from the Thai crime prevention police unit rushed from Bangkok to the scene by helicopter, according to Thai news agency.
The police also took the attacker's mother from Chaiyaphum province to Korat to persuade her son to surrender. Military leader - General Apirat Kongsompong, was also present at the scene.
"The gunman used a machine gun and shot at innocent victims, killing and injuring many people," Bangkok Post quoted police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen as saying.
Thai Defense Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit said late on February 8 that 20 people were confirmed dead and 31 others were injured, including several seriously injured.
Other reports later said that a gunfight occurred at 3:30 a.m. on February 9 with the attackers, injuring a police officer and two other colleagues. They were shot with an M60 machine gun. With this development, the number of casualties in the incident increased to 21 deaths and 33 injuries.
It is known that police officers raided the building on the night of February 8 to call on the gunman to surrender, but the gunman was even more angry and screamed and fired more drugs.
At around 8:30 p.m., there was information that the military special forces were approaching the gunman in the shopping mall. However, at that time, the focus was on the safe evacuation of hundreds of shoppers and employees trapped in the shopping mall.
By 11:30, the police had controlled the G, 1, 2 and 3 floors of the shopping mall. The Thai military also asked news agencies to stop reporting directly on the incident, avoiding providing information to attackers about the activities of the authorities. Thailand's National Radio and Television Commission has also warned that streamed videos of people outside shopping malls could also be a potential threat to security.
The attackers had previously broadcast live activities at the shopping mall on Facebook and a photo of themselves holding a rifle. "So tired. I could barely move my fingers," the attacker said in the video played at 7:20 p.m.
Facebook later confirmed that it had deleted the attacker's account and would take similar action against any other violent content related to the attack. "We turn our attention to the victims, their relatives and the community affected by this tragedy in Thailand. There is no place for people with this brutal behavior on Facebook, and we do not allow people to praise or support the attack," said a Facebook representative.
Lieutenant General Thanya Kriatisarn - commander of Thailand's Military Region 2 identified the suspect as Sergeant Jakrapanth Thomma, 32 years old, at Surathampithak concentration camp. The commander killed in the attack was identified as Colonel Anantharot Krasnae, 48 years old. The victim and the attacker are believed to have had a conflict before the incident. A 63-year-old woman was also killed at the camp, along with another soldier.
Bangkok Post reported that Thai security forces were surrounding the shopping mall on the morning of February 9.
