An emotional Thai army chief on Tuesday urged a nation in mourning over a mass shooting "not to blame the army" after a soldier gunned down at least 29 people in a rampage linked to a debt dispute with a senior officer.
General Apirat Kongsompong, an arch-royalist more commonly prone to rants against pro-democracy figures, broke down in tears as he apologised during a televised press conference on behalf of the army to the victims of the shooting.
The gunman -- Sergeant-Major Jakrapanth Thomma -- was shot dead by a commando unit Sunday morning, ending a 17-hour rampage that left 29 dead and scores more wounded.
The Thai army has been at pains to portray him as a rogue soldier rather than a product of the army system.
Apirat said he would not stand down from his post in charge of an army which has seeped into all aspects of Thai life, from politics and business to conscription, with a mega-billion budget that has surged since the last coup in 2014.
"The army is a huge organisation comprising of hundreds of thousands staff... I cannot focus on every subordinate," he said.
"There are people who criticise the army, I urge them not to blame the army... because the army is a sacred organisation," adding "blame me - General Apirat."
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