Thailand’s government is preparing to introduce stricter firearms controls following a deadly shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi, on Friday (Aug 7), which left at least eight people dead.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the proposed law would restrict the carrying of firearms in public, with only government officials performing official duties allowed to carry guns. The announcement came just hours after the shooting, although the Prime Minister did not provide details on when the legislation would be introduced or whether it would also impose tougher requirements for firearm ownership.
Under Thailand’s existing regulations, separate licences are required to own and carry a firearm. The latest proposal is therefore expected to focus on tightening controls over who can legally carry guns outside their homes.
The shooting involved a Thai teenager who reportedly killed his grandparents before attacking others at the school. At least five additional people were killed before the teenager died by suicide. The incident has renewed concerns over Thailand’s long-standing problem with civilian firearm ownership and repeated mass shootings.
Thailand has one of the highest levels of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia. A 2017 estimate by the Small Arms Survey put the number of firearms in civilian hands at around 10.3 million, equivalent to about 15 guns for every 100 people. More than six million were registered, while an estimated four million were unregistered.
The country has experienced several major shooting incidents in recent years, including the 2023 attack at a Bangkok shopping mall and the 2022 mass killing in northeastern Thailand, which claimed 36 lives, including 22 children.
Anutin had previously introduced tighter firearm measures when he served as interior minister following the 2023 Bangkok shooting. These included a temporary suspension of new gun licences, stricter controls on firearm imports and a prohibition on people under 20 using shooting ranges. Proposals for longer-term reforms included mental health certificates for gun owners and fixed validity periods for certain licences.
However, associate professor Piyaporn Tunneekul of Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University said several of those proposed reforms had not been implemented. She noted that Thailand’s licensing system still does not require mental health screening for applicants, permits individuals aged 20 and above to own firearms and does not require regular reassessment of licence holders.
Piyaporn said the current system places too much emphasis on whether applicants have sufficient financial means, a reason to protect their property or a desire for self-defence. She argued that Thailand should consider stronger preventive measures, including systems similar to ‘red-flag’ laws in other countries that allow firearms to be removed from individuals deemed to pose a danger to themselves or others.
She said repeated incidents demonstrated the need for stronger intervention and questioned whether sufficient action had been taken to prevent similar tragedies.
The latest government pledge comes as authorities face renewed pressure to address firearm access and strengthen safeguards surrounding gun ownership and possession. The effectiveness of any new legislation, however, will depend on how comprehensively the proposed measures are implemented.
