Pirapan Salirathavibhaga calls for Thailand firearm law reform

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, leader of the United Thai Nation Party and former Minister of Justice, has called for a major overhaul of Thailand's firearm laws. He urged the Ministry of Interior to modernize the Firearms Act to address contemporary issues, such as the modification of imitation firearms like BB guns into lethal weapons and the unauthorized carrying of weapons.

Pirapan proposed increasing penalties to include the death penalty for those using weapons to harm or kill others. He emphasized that law enforcement and administrative officials must strictly suppress illegal weapons to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens.

Regarding self-defense, Pirapan noted that under Criminal Code Section 68, actions taken to prevent a serious threat are not considered offenses if they are deemed reasonable. He argued that the severity of the threat and the circumstances should dictate whether a response is excessive, rather than focusing solely on the type of weapon used by the aggressor.

Additionally, addressing school violence, Pirapan suggested that the Ministry of Education should empower teachers and schools to support students facing social, economic, and family pressures, moving beyond purely academic roles to provide better emotional understanding and care.