Democrat Party Warns Premier Against Ignoring Illegal Gun Crisis
Democrat Party spokesman warns that Thailand's firearm license suspension fails to address the real crisis: illegal homemade guns easily obtained online and used in recent attacks, while law enforcement remains underarmed against criminals.
On August 13, 2569, Pongsagorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Democrat Party, addressed the government's strict policy controlling and suspending all types of firearm licenses, including for police and state officials. While the policy is well-intentioned to reduce social violence, he argued it is fundamentally misguided and creates public safety inequality.
Kwanmuang expressed concern over a shocking incident at a "Chim Chop Use" event in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, where teenagers armed with homemade shotguns attacked attendees and opened fire, injuring six people. This demonstrates that illegal and homemade firearms are easily obtained and used to commit crimes without legal consequence.
The real gun and crime problem in Thailand, Kwanmuang stated, is not legal firearms but the widespread availability of illegal and homemade weapons used frequently in criminal acts. These weapons are now easily purchased online on platforms including X, TikTok, and Facebook, where they are openly reviewed and shipped like ordinary products, creating what amounts to a de facto illegal firearms free-for-all in society.
Kwanmuang rejected the Prime Minister's suggestion that online regulation is difficult, saying it cannot serve as an excuse for inaction, as it effectively allows the black market to grow unchecked.
The blanket suspension of licenses, even for police officers who face daily danger, is creating a crisis where criminals have more guns than law enforcement. Beyond undermining the state's capacity to combat crime, innocent citizens are at greater risk because law enforcement lacks adequate weapons to protect them.
"The state should not just fix laws to manage legal guns while neglecting illegal weapons," Kwanmuang said. "Tightening controls on law-abiding citizens while allowing criminals to arm themselves makes offenders more dangerous than officials. Who can we trust for security then?"
The Democrat Party spokesman called on the Prime Minister to seriously tackle illegal firearms eradication through comprehensive coordination, directing the Ministry of Digital Economy for Society to work with cybercrime police to sweep away illegal firearms trading pages and groups online. He urged social media platforms to immediately remove illegal content to close the illegal firearms supply chain and restore genuine security to Thai society.
