Thailand recoiled in horror Thursday after at least 36 people were killed, at least 24 of them children, in a massacre at a child care center in northeastern Thailand believed to be the country’s deadliest incident of its kind. The age range of children at the daycare center was from two to five years old The attacker was later identified by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) as Panya Kamrab, a 34-year-old former policeman.

According to Thai Royal Police, he was suspended from police duties earlier this year in relation to drug possession charges and was facing trial on a drugs charge.

This incident is one of the world's worst child death tolls in a massacre by a single killer in recent history, most of the children who died at the daycare centre in Uthai Sawan, a town 500 km (310 miles) northeast of Bangkok, were stabbed to death, police said.

Among the dozens of victims are Panya’s wife and stepson, whom investigators say he killed before taking his own life.

His 2-year-old stepson was enrolled at the nursery that he attacked Thursday, but was not present while the attack was carried out, according to a local police chief.

“(Panya) went to look for his two-year-old son, but the boy was not there … so he started shooting as well as stabbing people at the nursery,” police spokesperson Maj. General Paisan Luesomboon said.

Panya then “managed to get into a room where 24 kids were sleeping together,” killing all but one of them.

“He also used a knife to stab both children and staff at the center, most of the deaths were the result of stabbing wounds,” Paisan said.

One of the center’s teachers described a horrific scene to local media, explaining that the attacker entered the center around noon, while two other staff members were having lunch.

“I suddenly heard the sound just sounded like fire crackers. So I looked back [and] the two staffs just collapsed on the floor,” the teacher said.

“Then he pulled another gun from his waist…I didn’t expect he would also kill the kids,” they said.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha was expected to visit the region on Friday. In a statement on Facebook, he called Thursday's rampage a "shocking incident".

Prayuth ordered all government departments to fly the national flag at half-mast on Friday to mark a tragedy that "had caused grief to the entire nation", his spokesperson Anusha Burapchaisri said.

The government said it would provide financial aid to the families to help cover funeral expenses and medical treatment.