Lawyer Petitions Military Panel Over PM's Gun Permit Ban

At 11:30 a.m. on August 21, 2025, at Parliament, Rachen Trakoolwiang, a list-system MP and leader of the New Alternative Party, received a letter from prominent lawyer Songkran Ajchariyasarp in his capacity as a member of the House Military Affairs Committee. The complaint seeks an investigation into the Prime Minister's suspension of firearm permit (Form 3) issuance. Songkran argues the suspension violates public law as defined by the Firearms Act and constitutional law, which prohibit the state from issuing regulations that unlawfully infringe on citizen rights. He notes that qualified citizens have the statutory right to petition local registration offices for firearm permits to protect their lives and property, yet the government has suspended this process in an overreach of legislative authority. Songkran also criticized the three-year renewal requirement for Form 4 permits as outdated, citing approximately 6.2 million existing permits. He highlighted that the government's plan to collect firearms and permits during a public consultation has prompted widespread public objection, since citizens legally purchased their weapons. He pointed out that the Cabinet has not adequately informed the public of their rights under Section 7 of the Firearms Act for continuous firearm possession, nor clarified Section 8(bis), which allows emergency firearm use without a carry permit. Songkran stated he will present the matter to Parliament's speaker and military committee for debate and suspension of the measure. He also noted that the Ombudsman has scheduled him to provide clarification on August 24 for potential referral to the Supreme Court's criminal division against the Prime Minister for issuing regulations that violate citizen rights. He urged Deputy Prime Minister Phahorn Nilpraphand to reconsider this backward-looking policy extending 92 years into the past, warning it affects the electoral base of both the Pheu Thai Party and coalition partners. Songkran displayed a cage containing mice and removed one, announcing he was establishing a government mascot called "Mouse Lawyer" to represent issues the Prime Minister should address but has neglected—such as online gambling and illegal weapons—which affect the entire justice system. He stressed that the Prime Minister, bound by law, has overstepped executive authority into legislative matters and urged him to remain under the law, noting he has received numerous complaints.