Thailand tightens firearm and drug controls after shootings

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an urgent intensification of controls on illegal firearms and narcotics following recent violent incidents. The directive follows a shooting in Nakhon Ratchasima province that left several people injured, as well as a school shooting involving a 14-year-old that resulted in eight deaths.

In response, authorities have suspended the issuance of new firearm licenses in several provinces and are reviewing all pending permit applications. The government has also halted a program that allowed public officials to acquire weapons through expedited procedures. The Prime Minister described the current prevalence of firearms in the country as “too excessive,” comparing the situation to the “Wild West.”

Additionally, the Ministry of Education has proposed increasing security checks at school entrances to prevent students from bringing weapons or illegal objects onto campus. These measures aim to address systemic gaps in firearm possession and usage following recent high-profile crimes involving both illegal weapons and legal owners.