BANGKOK, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered tougher controls on firearms, declaring that civilians will be prohibited from carrying guns outside their homes and warning that violators will face criminal penalties. Speaking at Government House on August 11, Anutin said he had instructed Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphan to accelerate work on a new Firearms Act, while the Interior Ministry and Royal Thai Police have been told to suspend renewals of three types of firearms-related licences — Por 3, Por 4 and Por 12 — pending further Cabinet decisions.
Anutin said the government would also strengthen enforcement and penalties, with police and administrative officials instructed to establish checkpoints focusing particularly on firearms and illegal drugs. He said several people had already been arrested during recent checks and that police would oppose bail in appropriate cases. He stressed that people should not carry guns for self-defence, saying firearms can create additional risks rather than provide protection. “Do not believe anyone who tells you to carry a gun for protection,” Anutin said, warning that carrying an unauthorised firearm could result in imprisonment.
The Prime Minister also addressed legally owned firearms. He said licensed guns could remain at home but should not be carried outside without the required carrying permit. Anyone carrying a firearm without the necessary authorisation would be considered in violation of the law. Anutin said there would also be no special exemption for shooting athletes. Under the proposed approach, firearms used by athletes would remain at shooting ranges, while ammunition would be purchased and recorded at the range. After training, the firearms would have to remain at the facility rather than being taken home.
He said the same principle should apply regardless of the reason given for carrying a firearm, arguing that other countries also impose strict controls on the movement of privately owned guns.
The government is also considering measures for people who possess firearms that cannot legally be transferred, including inherited weapons. Anutin said a limited period could be provided for people to surrender such firearms without facing penalties, although the exact legal framework would have to be determined. He said authorities would pay particular attention to people whose behaviour raises concerns, urging family members to be alert to signs of threats or violence involving firearms.
Anutin also said he intended to ensure that the rules were followed within Government House itself, including among people accompanying ministers. Anyone carrying a firearm who was not a police officer performing official duties would not be exempt from the rules. Asked whether a gun owner could use a firearm to defend against an intruder at home, Anutin said the issue would still be subject to the law and urged people not to view firearms as the answer to personal security.
He argued that the government’s priority was protecting the public, particularly innocent people and children, from firearms-related violence.
Anutin also revealed that he had previously owned a firearm but had lost it and subsequently reported the loss to police. He said he no longer owned one. When told that a firearm appeared in his wife’s asset declaration, Anutin reacted with surprise and joked that he would have to be more careful himself. The Prime Minister said the government would maintain pressure on illegal firearms and strengthen enforcement rather than allowing the issue to fade after recent incidents.
The tougher measures come amid heightened public concern over a series of shooting incidents and calls for stronger controls on firearms possession and carrying in Thailand.
