Thai PM Stopped at Checkpoint During Gun and Drug Crackdown

Administrative officials and police jointly established strict checkpoints across Buriram province on August 16, 2026, to search for firearms and drugs in Ban Dan Subdistrict, Ban Dan District, and several other areas. The operation was carried out in line with Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's policy to step up efforts to control firearms and prevent their spread in society.

While officers were conducting searches, Anutin, who was in the area for official duties, was also stopped and searched like other members of the public. When asked by the prime minister if officers had found anything, a police officer replied that they had only discovered drugs at the checkpoints.

The latest crackdown on firearms comes as Thai society has faced a series of shocking violent incidents, including a shooting at a school allegedly carried out by a 14-year-old, an incident in which the son of a prominent politician allegedly used a gun to hit a fellow student, and the shooting of Pol Col Thongchai Yenprasert, a former president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, allegedly carried out by former politician Chalong Riawreng.

The government aims to tackle the problem at its source and prevent firearms from falling into situations that could lead to further violence. The prime minister previously ordered a halt to the issuance of firearm purchase permits known as Por.3 and firearm possession permits known as Por.4 until the Cabinet decides otherwise. He also instructed the Department of Provincial Administration to end the practice of giving firearms as rewards to subdistrict headmen and village headmen. The measures are ultimately aimed at protecting the lives and property of the public.