Thailand’s interior minister halts gun license issuance for a year

A halt on issuing gun licenses for a year has been authorised by Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as part of an effort to reduce gun violence, announced Traisuree Taisaranakul, secretary to the interior minister. The directive, referred to as Por 12, adheres to the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosive, Fireworks, and Imitation Firearms Act, she added.

The instruction is now on its way to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for approval and is expected to come into effect the day following its announcement in the Royal Gazette.

The secretary clarified that this gun-control measure excludes state officials, such as on-duty police officers, who are allowed to carry firearms.

Recently, Suthipong Chulcharoen, the permanent secretary for the interior, instructed provincial governors to command firearms registrars to halt issuing Por 12 licenses within their provinces. Registrars can include provincial governors, district chiefs, and deputy district chiefs, while Bangkok’s firearms registrar is the director-general of the Provincial Administration Department, reported Bangkok Post.

The permanent secretary also instructed registrars to stop issuing new licenses for importing and selling imitation firearms to existing licensees. Furthermore, those possessing blank guns, BB guns, or imitation firearms that can be converted into real weapons are now required to register them at local registrars.

These measures are in response to a series of fatal shootings in Bangkok that called for a revision of firearms licence issuance to the public and stricter gun control measures.

The series of violent incidents began on October 3 at the Siam Paragon shopping mall when a boy of 14 years old opened fire, resulting in three deaths and five injuries. Shortly afterwards, a teacher at the Sacred Heart Convent School situated in Bangkok’s Klong Toey area was hit by a stray bullet during a clash between rival student gangs on November 11.

Not long after, a 15 year old Mathayom 5 student was hit by a stray bullet in the Suan Luang district during a brawl between youth gangs.