The Thai Government on Wednesday (August 12, 2026) pledged to tighten gun controls and crack down on illegal firearms after two deadly shootings near Bangkok in less than a week, renewed pressure on authorities to curb gun violence.
Political Context
Three days later, a former lawmaker was arrested after a shooting at a government office that killed one person and injured another. The changes are expected to bolster the collection of firearms data, tighten controls on the gun trade and increase penalties for offenders. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.
A student opened fire at his high school and family home on Friday (August 7, 2026), killing at least eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life, according to police. Government spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said Wednesday (August 12, 2026) that the government is working to strengthen gun regulations and crack down on illegal firearms, as well as raise awareness of the responsibilities of and limits on gun ownership. On Tuesday (August 11, 2026), Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an urgent review of gun regulations, including a suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits, according to a statement from the Government House. He also instructed the Interior Ministry to propose amendments to Thailand’s gun control laws within 60 days. Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review.
The ultimate goal is “to find ways to remove guns from people’s daily lives as much as possible and make Thai society safer,” she said in a statement.
