Improved gun law will prevent tragedies like nursery massacre: Anupong

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said on Monday that he will push for the law to require that all holders of legal firearms are checked by psychiatrists and gun permits are reviewed every three to five years.

Anupong said this in response to a motion by Senator Ampol Chindawattana seeking measures to prevent the use of firearms in crime.

In the motion, the senator cited the Nong Bua Lamphu massacre in which a dismissed policeman shot dead 37 people, including very young children, before turning the gun on himself. He had bought the gun under the police welfare programme before being sacked for alleged drug abuse.

Anupong told the Senate that gun buyers are required to seek permission from the gun-control registrar, who checks their background before issuing a permit.

The minister said the only people who have a clear police record, are of legal age and have no record of disciplinary offences are granted a permit.

“But I plan to improve these measures by requiring that gun buyers provide a medical certificate declaring they have no mental health issues and are of sound mind,” Anupong said.

He added that the amendment will also require that potential gun buyers have their “good behaviour” certified by their employer, tambon chief, village head or other superiors.

Anupong said the gun-possession permits may also be reviewed every three to five years with new behaviour certificates sought from direct bosses, supervisors or relevant officials.

“People owning guns need to be certified regularly because they may have changed by developing an addiction to gambling, drugs, social vices or alcohol,” Anupong said.

The minister, however, said statistics show that up to 98.53 per cent of violent crimes are committed using illegal firearms like homemade or modified guns.

Anupong said the use of illegal firearms can be controlled by granting amnesty to those who turn them in and slapping stronger penalties on those who do not.

Currently, owners of illegal firearms face a fine of between 2,000 and 20,000 baht and a jail term of one to 10 years.

The minister added that the permit to own a firearm is very different from a permit to carry a firearm in public. He said it is very difficult for an ordinary citizen to get a permit to carry guns in public, as these permits are reserved for state officials and must be renewed every year.

He said the law should be strictly enforced against people, especially officials and politicians, who carry guns in public without a permit.

“If you ask what should be done with them, my answer is simple: Arrest them,” Anupong said.

He also said that the sale of firearms online is illegal and the authorities will never permit it. He added that the police and the Digital Economy and Society Ministry are getting ready to crack down on online stores that sell arms.

Gun ownership in Thailand is the highest in Southeast Asia and the 13th highest in the world, according to the independent Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.

As of 2017, 10.3 million guns or 15.1 for every 100 persons in Thailand were owned privately.

Royal Thai Police data indicates that in 2019 alone there were 31,419 gun-related crimes – 6,410 involving registered guns, 24,348 unregistered firearms and 661 rifles.

As per the 2022 Gun Deaths by Country report, Thailand had the third highest number of gun-related crimes in Asia in 2019 after Iraq and the Philippines.

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