Mall shooting dents Thailand’s safety reputation
According to World Population Review, Thailand ranked 15th globally in gun deaths with 2,804 people killed by guns in 2019, or 3.91 people per 100,000 population.
The statistics, together with the shooting at Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok that caused at least two deaths and five injuries on Tuesday evening, renders this peaceful-looking country not so safe after all in the eyes of the global community.
Leading the World Population Review’s global chart in gun deaths is Brazil, with 49,436 people killed by guns in 2019, followed by the United States (37,038), Venezuela (28,515), Mexico (22,116), India (14,710) and Colombia (13,169).
The Philippines, in 7th place, leads the ranking in gun deaths among Asean members at 9,267 mortalities, while Thailand came in second place in 2019.
Meanwhile, a recent study by Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS) put Thailand in 50th place globally in gun possession per population, at 15 firearms per 100 people.
Topping the chart is the United States, with an average of 120 firearms per 100 population. It is the only country in the world where the number of guns exceeds the number of people.
SAS estimated that there are more than 10.3 million legally registered guns in Thailand, and another 6.2 million illegal firearms.
