A rampaging gunman killed two people and injured three more before turning the gun on himself in a shooting in Thailand.

Sakkarin Singto, 30, opened fire on residents as he went on a rampage in a village in northeastern Bueng Kan province at noon today, December 19.

He reportedly shot dead two neighbours before barricading himself inside a house. He then shot at three more people, including a rescue worker who was responding to the emergency.

The attacker turned the gun on himself after 30 police officers cordoned off the area and besieged the home.

A police spokesman said: 'The suspect was found dead on a wooden table in the house. Forensic officers are investigating the scene. We have no information on where he obtained his gun.'

Local media reported that Sakkarin appeared to have been under the influence during the deadly shooting. The gun rampage began when he allegedly fired at a passer-by walking on the street, then shot dead another who rode a motorcycle near his yard.

Police were investigating the motive behind the incident.

In October 22, a former cop carried out a gruesome mass shooting and stabbing spree at a daycare center, killing 36 people, including 24 children, before taking his own life. The tragedy is one of the deadliest in the country's history, shocking the nation and sparking calls for stricter gun control.

Thailand has one of the highest gun ownership and gun homicide rates among Southeast Asian nations. Many of the firearms are believed to be sold by government and police officers, who can buy and sell them at a discounted rate under the government's 'gun welfare programme'.

The persistent gun culture is said to stem from a distrust of crime control policies, especially in rural areas.

Former Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had previously vowed to tighten gun control laws.