Thailand Tightens Gun Control After School Shooting

Prime Minister Anuthane Chaiyaveerakul has ordered relevant agencies to strengthen gun control measures to address illegal and unlicensed firearms through both short-term emergency actions and long-term policy reforms involving multiple government departments. Immediate measures include suspending new government gun programs, halting issuance of gun purchase permits, conducting nationwide reviews of existing permits, streamlining firearm possession licenses, inspecting gun dealers nationwide, checking shooting range ammunition stocks, and cracking down on illegal weapons. Long-term reforms include amending the Firearms Act, implementing electronic systems for all licensing and sales steps, linking data with customs and revenue departments, improving firearm identification records, controlling firearms commerce, increasing merchant accountability, and enhancing penalties. The Prime Minister affirmed that no firearm purchase permits will be approved until further notice and confirmed the government will regulate Thailand's estimated 10 million civilian firearms. The action follows a shooting at Theepsirin School in Nonthaburi where a student used a grandfather's weapon to fire on teachers and classmates, causing multiple deaths and injuries. While the Prime Minister expects public support for these control measures, the editorial notes that most violent crimes involve illegal and smuggled weapons sold openly, and calls on the government to act decisively on this issue as well as on military weapons that have gone missing from government control and been used in violent incidents.