Suspected gun producer in Phang Nga on the loose

A suspected gun producer in Thailand’s southern Phang Nga province is on the loose. Phang Nga Police raided a house in Tai Mueang district this week, where they found several handmade handguns, bullets, and gun parts. But the suspect, 27 year old Kittiphon Patnark, was nowhere to be found.

Police Commander Major General Thammanoon Prayuenyong told associated Thai media that police had been alerted of many shootings in northeast Thailand. He said the guns used in these shootings were “directly sent from Phang Nga,” and police had identified Kittiphon in their investigation. General Thammanoon said…

“He opened a Facebook page with livestreams selling handmade handguns with shooting and testing shows. We are tracking him down to find Mr Kittiphon who is still at large.”

A report by Thai PBS this week has revealed some alarming facts about gun use in Thailand. People in Thailand hold an estimated 10.3 million guns both legally and illegally. As of last year, the number of registered guns in Thailand totalled just over six million, according to the Interior Ministry. That means there are four million unregistered or illicit firearms in Thailand.

Under the official law, people caught carrying a gun registered to another person face six months to five years in jail and a fine of up to 10,000 baht. Carrying a registered gun without a permit can be punished with up to five years in jail, a maximum of 10,000 baht, or both. But experts say that rules can be bypassed with bribes or connections to bureaucracy.

SOURCE: The Phuket Express