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Security forces have killed a soldier after he went on a shopping centre gun rampage that left at least 26 people dead.

Sergeant Major Jakrapanth Thomma was shot dead at the retail complex where he was holed up in Thailand, following a 17-hour standoff.

The killer went berserk with military equipment and streamed his massacre live on Facebook.

The death toll has hit 26 people with 57 others wounded, said Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Thomma died in a firefight with security forces after taking eight hostages in the shopping centre in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima.

An official told Reuters news agency: "The police have killed the perpetrator and rescued eight hostages. Some were wounded."

(Image: REUTERS)

He was filmed on CCTV walking through the shopping centre holding a large rifle and wearing protective clothing.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his Facebook page on Sunday morning that the mass shooter had been killed.

The gunman - who first killed his commander - wrote on Facebook that he was seeking "revenge" and had recently posted pictures of himself wielding a gun in full uniform and showing off his firearms.

(Image: Social Media/AFP via Getty Image)

The killings began at around 3pm local time on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the shopping centre.

Hundreds of terrified shoppers fled for their lives as he opened fire inside the premises.

Thomma is believed to have killed at least 21 people and seriously injured 40 others during the rampage, which he broadcast on Facebook.

(Image: RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE/REX)

According to military official Chakrphan Thomma, the gunman is an expert in long-rang shooting.

Before his death, a lone undercover police officer was inside the shopping centre beckoning the killer into the open - even exchanging threats with him.

The decoy has allowed those hiding in rooms on the ground floor to escape.

The brave policeman filmed himself creeping around the shopping mall as he hunted down the gunman.

(Image: via REUTERS)

The unmanned officer was seen holding a semi-automatic pistol as he recorded himself taking cover against a wall at the Terminal 21 centre.

It appeared the gunman was a fanatic of Norwegian right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik.

In one chilling video, he said: "I'm tired now.. I can't move my finger anymore."

Photographer Chatsurang Kongph, 30, who was locked in one room with several other terrified shoppers, filmed people streaming out of the building after finding an escape route

She said: "Nobody knew if we were going to get out alive. The shooter could have came into our room at any moment and killed us all.

"Everyone was afraid to make a sound and we kept the light out."