Thailand Halts New Gun Permits After Deadly School Shooting

Thailand's Department of Provincial Administration announced new gun-control rules, including halting firearms as prizes for kamnan (sub-district chiefs) and village headmen.

This change responds to public criticism after a mass shooting in Nonthaburi left nine people dead. Last week, a 14-year-old student used his grandfather's handgun to fatally shoot both grandparents, then killed five teachers and wounded over 30 others at his high school. One wounded 12-year-old girl died Saturday, bringing the school death toll to six.

The attack ended when the boy turned the gun on himself. This was the deadliest mass shooting in the country since 2022. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced a suspension of new gun permits on Tuesday, part of several firearm control measures. He directed a deputy to expedite drafting a firearms law with harsher penalties. The government's objective is to place firearm ownership, carrying, and use under tighter supervision, not to revoke the right of lawful self-defense.

A high-profile shooting on Monday, where a former lawmaker killed a local politician, followed the school attack. Thailand has about 10 million firearms in civilian hands, with 4.1 million believed unregistered, according to a 2017 estimate. Civilians are already prohibited from carrying firearms in public under a ban instituted this year. Provincial governor Chumphot Wannachatsiri clarified that winners of a recent lottery received cash, not firearms directly, despite guns being designated as prizes. Government deputy spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said ideas for health screenings and vetting of license holders could be studied.