‘Natural to own gun for protection’: Why Thais don’t fear guns despite mass shooting incidents
Authorities pledge tighter controls, but gun culture ingrained in rural areas Read more at straitstimes. The number of illegal firearms in Thailand is expected to rise to 7 million guns in 2021, according to estimates by gunpolicy.org, a website hosted by the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health, which estimates that there are over 1 million illegal or undocumented or illegal guns in Thailand. The website also highlights that authorities recorded over 80,000 illegal gun offences last year (2022), twice the number in 2021. The process to obtain a legal gun licence can take anywhere from two to six months and requires documents including bank statements and letters of guarantee from employers or community leaders. However, a government welfare gun scheme allows state workers, including civil servants and law enforcement, to purchase firearms for personal protection at about 40 per cent cheaper. The number of new guns registered in Thailand a year is on the downward trend, but this figure is still high for a country of about 70 million people. The proposed measures include suspending the issuing of gun licences for new applicants, registering of real and imitation firearms, and stricter monitoring of the industry. The Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has announced that gun control rules will be tightened following the shooting of a teenager with mental health issues in Bangkok.
Diterbitkan : 2 tahun lalu oleh di dalam General
Estimates by gunpolicy.org, a gun control portal hosted by the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health, say that in 2021, there were 7 million guns in Thailand, with over 1 million of them undocumented or illegal.
Experts believe these numbers are conservative and without a proper local tracking system, even the exact number of legal guns are difficult to pin down.
“What we know is that the illegal gun market worldwide is growing, so the number of illegal firearms in Thailand is probably higher,” said Pol Maj Chavanut, highlighting how authorities recorded over 80,000 illegal gun offences last year (2022), twice the number in 2021.
On average, about 100,000 new guns are legally registered in Thailand a year. While this has been on the downward trend, Pol Maj Chavanut said that this figure is still high for a country of about 70 million people.
The process to get a legal gun licence can take anywhere from two to six months, and requires documents including bank statements and letters of guarantee from employers or community leaders. No one below the age of 20 is allowed to own a gun, but minors are generally allowed to handle firearms if supervised.
“The rules are strict. But if you have a proper job, no criminal record and enough money, it is relatively easy to get approved for a licence,” said Pol Maj Chavanut.
A Glock brand pistol can cost about US$400 (S$550) in the United States, but a similar gun can cost up to 85,000 THB (S$3,200) in Thailand. However, a government welfare gun scheme allows state workers, including civil servants and law enforcement, to purchase firearms for personal protection at about 40 per cent cheaper.
“This programme has introduced many guns into Thailand,” said Pol Maj Chavanut, adding that there have been cases where officers who bought their weapons under the programme sell their weapons on the black market for fast cash.
In the Siam Paragon incident, the teenage shooter, who authorities said had existing mental health issues, used a blank gun that had been modified to shoot live bullets. He bought the gun online.
Blank guns, usually used on film sets, along with BB guns, are categorised as imitation weapons in Thailand and do not need a licence. However, developments in gun knowledge and illegal access to firearm parts can turn these “toy guns” into deadly weapons.
“There are videos teaching people how to do this online... Authorities should have clamped down on this a long time ago,” said Mr Danai Smuthkochorn, 42, the founder of Team Tango, an active lifestyle brand that also teaches self-defence and firearm courses.
In the days following the shooting in Bangkok, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said gun control rules will be tightened. Proposed measures include suspending the issuing of gun licences for new applicants, registering of real and imitation firearms, as well as stricter monitoring of the industry.
In October last year (2022), a similar discussion over firearms regulation and mental health arose after the Nong Bua Lamphu rampage. There was a national outpouring of horror and grief, and authorities pledged changes to gun laws.
“But one year later, nothing has changed,” said Pol Maj Chavanut, who believes current gun laws are not strict enough.
Still, those in the legal gun industry seem to be feeling the pressure. Several gun shop owners and shooting ranges, including the Firearms Traders Association of Thailand, declined comment when approached by The Straits Times.
Mr Danai said most people in the industry do not want to draw too much attention, as they fear that the spotlight could bring tougher regulation. “If the laws for (legal) firearms get any stricter, the next step will be banning civilian ownership completely,” he said.
Mr Danai bought his first firearm after coming face-to-face with a home intruder about a decade ago. While the police arrived to his Bangkok home in eight minutes and no one was seriously hurt, he felt defenceless.
“Criminals will likely have their own illegal weapons. What will you do if they use it against you?” he said.
Instead of tightening regulation, Mr Danai said authorities must enforce existing laws on gun control and also crack down on other related illicit markets such as the online gun trade, drugs and financial crime.
Meanwhile, introducing a database to track legal firearms can be the first major step in preventing the flouting of gun licensing rules and ownership, said Dr Anchistha of Mahidol University.
“Now that there is a wave of social pressure on gun control, I hope the authorities will ‘wake up’ and tackle the problems of illegal guns. If not, it will be a crisis,” she added.
Mr Phairoj, the retired government officer, does take precautions when handling his firearm, and is careful to store the weapon separately from the bullets.
“I’m not against tighter regulation (for legal) guns. But those who want to commit illegal acts will always find ways to get illegal weapons. So that is the problem that must be solved,” he said.
Topik: Crime