A shooting incident near the campus has once again drawn attention to the issue of gun proliferation in Thailand. According to Reuters report on August 7, Thai Prime Minister Anutin said that the government will introduce new gun control laws to restrict people from carrying guns.
According to police reports, on the 7th, a shooting incident occurred near a school in Nakhon Wathai Province, in the suburbs of Bangkok. A 14-year-old boy shot his grandparents before going to the school and firing shots, resulting in at least 8 deaths, including the shooter himself. Police said that the boy used his grandfather's gun.
Hours after the incident, Auntiing told the media that "only government officials currently performing official duties will be allowed to carry firearms". However, he did not disclose specific legislative details, including whether further restrictions would be imposed on gun purchase and possession conditions.
Thailand has long faced challenges regarding gun control. According to estimates by the Small Arms Survey, based in Geneva, in 2017, there were approximately 10.3 million firearms in private ownership in Thailand. This means that about 15 firearms per 100 people are in private possession, making Thailand one of the countries with the highest firearm ownership rates in Southeast Asia. Of these, about 6 million are registered firearms, and another approximately 4 million are unregistered firearms.
In recent years, Thailand has experienced several serious shooting incidents. In 2022, a former police officer in northeastern Thailand carried out an attack, resulting in the death of 36 people, including 22 children. In 2023, another shooting incident occurred at a large shopping mall in Bangkok.
Anuinth previously promoted measures to regulate firearms. After the gun shooting incident at a mall in Bangkok in 2023, then-Industry Minister Anuinth announced the suspension of new firearm licenses, restrictions on firearm imports, and bans on individuals under 20 years old entering shooting ranges. In addition, Thailand also proposed long-term reforms such as requiring firearm owners to provide mental health certificates and shortening the validity period of some firearm licenses.
However, Thailand's current system is still criticized for its flaws. Piyapon, an associate professor at Nakhon Pathom Royal University in Thailand, said that the current application process for firearms licenses mainly focuses on whether the applicant has the financial means, the need to protect property or for self-defense. However, there is a lack of mental health screening, as well as a regular re-evaluation mechanism.
