PM Orders Halt to Gun Giveaways After Shooting at Public Event
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an immediate halt to a shotgun raffle at a Ko Phangan village event following a shooting incident in Nakhon Ratchasima, signaling renewed focus on firearm regulations.
At 10:15 a.m. on August 13, 2025, at Impact Muang Thong Thani, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister responded to questions about a shooting incident at the Chim Shop Use event in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The PM appeared shocked and remarked "Again?" while shaking his head. When asked whether firearm licensing should include psychological evaluation, he said the regulatory framework needed reform and was already under review. Regarding an event in Ko Phangan, Surat Thani, where shotguns were raffled off at a 134th-anniversary celebration for a village headman, the PM ordered the Interior Ministry's permanent secretary to immediately cancel that policy and substitute other prizes instead.
