Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to introduce tougher firearms regulations following a deadly shooting that left at least eight people dead, including the teenage suspect.
The shooting occurred on Friday on the outskirts of Bangkok. Police said the 14-year-old suspect allegedly used his grandfather’s firearm to kill his grandparents before opening fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province. He later died by suicide.
Following the incident, Anutin announced plans for new legislation aimed at restricting the public carrying of firearms.
«“The new law will only allow government officials on duty to carry guns,” the prime minister said.»
He did not provide further details on the proposed legislation or say whether the government would introduce stricter requirements for firearm ownership.
Thailand Faces High Gun Ownership
Thailand has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia. A 2017 estimate by the Small Arms Survey put the number of firearms in civilian hands at about 10.3 million, equivalent to roughly 15 guns for every 100 people.
More than six million of those firearms were estimated to be registered, while around four million were believed to be unregistered.
The country has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including attacks at schools, a Bangkok shopping mall and a 2022 shooting spree in northeastern Thailand that killed 36 people, including 22 children.
Calls for Stricter Regulations
Experts have urged Thailand to strengthen its firearms licensing system, including introducing mental-health assessments and regular reviews for gun owners.
Piyaporn Tunneekul, an associate professor at Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, said Thailand’s current system does not include mental-health screening for people seeking to own firearms and does not require regular reassessments of licence holders.
The latest shooting has renewed calls for stronger gun-control measures as authorities face growing pressure to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of people considered at risk of harming themselves or others.
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