UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is shocked and saddened by the horrific mass shooting at a childcare facility in northeastern Thailand, his spokesperson said Thursday.

"The secretary-general extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes those injured a speedy recovery," Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, said in a statement.

At least 38 people were killed in a mass shooting at a childcare center in northeast Thailand's Nong Bua Lamphu province on Thursday, most of them children, local authorities said.

Police identified the attacker as a former police officer who reportedly killed himself later.

The horrific attack prompted strong condemnations by various UN agencies.

In a statement, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it condemns all forms of violence against children, stressing that "no child should be a target or witness of violence anywhere, anytime."

"UNICEF sends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and the injured. We join all people in Thailand in mourning and hope that those affected receive appropriate and timely support," the statement added.

The UN agency appealed to members of the public and the media to refrain from posting or forwarding images and videos related to the incident, noting "this may further negatively impact children, victims' families, and their loved ones."

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also extended its deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

"Attacks on schools, students and educators, are attacks on rights to education," the agency's Bangkok bureau tweeted Thursday. "No-one should be a target."

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