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As mourning begins for the victims of the worst mass shooting in Thailand, the country counts its losses.

According to the authorities, the attack was carried out by a single gunman – a disgruntled soldier who opened fire on individuals before being killed on Sunday at a shopping center.

58 other people were injured.

Officials said the gunman was angry because of a financial dispute with his commander.

He made Colonel Anantarote Krasae his first victim before stealing weapons from a military camp and heading to the mall, firing wildly along the way at people inside and outside the building.

The attacker was identified as Sergeant Jakrapanth Thomma, who holed up in Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed shopping center filled with colorful Lego sculptures, a carousel, and huge replicas of monuments from around the world.

After evacuating most employees and customers from the mall, a joint team of police and military personnel chased the gunman and killed him.

“This incident is unprecedented in Thailand,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha told reporters as he tallied the victims after visiting hospitals.

At the end of the day, the death toll was 29 people killed.

The death toll has surpassed the last major attack in Thailand against civilians, a 2015 bombing at Bangkok's Erawan shrine that killed 20 people.

A video taken outside the shopping center shows people running for cover as shots ring out.

Many were killed outside the shopping center, some in cars and others while walking.

Survivors and families of the victims gathered during the day in the city's hospitals, where they recounted their ordeal.

Corporal Korakot Ampanngeun received a visit from Suwat Liptapanlop, a prominent local politician.

"I was ordered by my superior to block the road so that no one could go in the direction of the shooter," the corporal recalled.

“So I was signaling to the cars coming in the opposite direction, when I turned around and saw him.”.

If I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have survived. I tried to run and find a place to hide.

But I could only take two steps and then I heard the sound - 'bang'. My leg was gone and I couldn't walk. A good Samaritan helped me to take cover.

Nachote Chotiklang, a high school student, said he was in his mother's car when she passed the gunman's vehicle.

The attacker “came out and fired into the window. I then ducked and did nothing until I felt the car had hit something. It hit a tree.”

"What happened to your mother?" Suwat asked.

Nachote shook his head as another man explained to him that she was dead.

Nuttawut Kanchanamethi, father of 13-year-old Rachanon Kanchanamethi, recalled another poignant tragedy.

The high school student was riding his motorcycle home when the gunman shot at him from his car on the way to the mall.

Rachanon, the only child of the family, was one of the first victims.

The father spoke on the first day of his son's Buddhist funeral.

“I don't want to lose him like this,” Nuttawut said.

“It's too sudden. We had plans for him, growing up. That's all. We didn't put any expectations on him.”

Nuttawut paused for a long time.

» I want to continue taking care of him, but I no longer have that opportunity », he said, sobbing.

Remember Forever

On Sunday, residents of Nakhon Ratchasima city lit candles, laid flowers, and sang in front of the statue of a historical local heroine, Thao Suranari, while Buddhist monks prayed for the 29 people killed and the 57 injured.

Those who attended the sombre vigil pointed their fingers towards the sky as a symbol that their prayers would lead the souls of the dead to heaven.

Others scribbled messages of condolence on white paper sheets placed on the ground, including “Remember forever” and “I wish you a good life after death”.

“You have this rage, it fills you,” said a local resident, Chirathip Kurapakorn, to the Reuters news agency during the vigil.

“I have two children of my own and I think about those lives inside.”.

I couldn’t sleep at all last night.

“I was just trying to get the good news and I just wanted to help somehow, but I couldn’t.”.

“It just happened here, in our hometown, right behind us, like at the heart of everything. It’s just tragic,” said Pacharida Sangthongsuk.

Social media users also expressed their grief.

“You told me not to cry when you were gone. But the feeling is overwhelming, it’s too strong.”.

Told me not to cry
when you were gone
But the feeling's
overwhelming, it's much too strong. #PrayForKorat #Shooting in Korat pic.twitter.com/UMYzuLKtdz
— ~I'm a gibbon.. who secretly loves deer????~Shipper Hurray!! (@Sawetkralin) February 9, 2020