BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Cabinet has approved in principle a draft emergency decree to amend the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation Firearms Act, B.E. 2490 (1947), proposing tighter controls on the possession, use and licensing of firearms, ammunition, explosives and related items—a sweeping update to legislation written nearly eight decades ago.
The proposal tightens who can own a gun, how many, and for how long. Here’s what’s on the table:
- Stricter licensing
Applicants would need to complete firearms training to pass a test, including knowledge of firearms law, and undergo physical and, where necessary, mental health checks. Lifetime licenses would be scrapped and replaced with time-limited permits requiring renewal.
- Tighter ownership & registration
Authorities would collect identification data for every firearm, and existing license holders would have to present their weapons for verification. The draft also caps the number of firearms and the value of ammunition one person may hold.
- Stronger enforcement
Local registrars could inspect, confiscate, or suspend firearms and licenses with reasonable cause. Shooting ranges would face tighter supervision, and penalties would go up.
- 90-day amnesty
Anyone holding unlicensed firearms, ammunition, or explosives could surrender them within 90 days without criminal liability, subject to conditions in the draft.
The proposed amendments are intended to update the 1947 law in response to technological and social changes and strengthen public safety and law enforcement. The proposed changes are intended to improve firearms regulation, strengthen public safety and maintain public order.
The draft is currently undergoing public consultation on its principles until 10 September 2026. (PRD)
