Thailand to Overhaul Gun Laws by Mid-September
Thailand will overhaul its 1947 gun laws by mid-September to address smuggling and illegal weapons proliferation, focusing on stricter registration and dealer oversight rather than costly buyback programs.
On August 20, Deputy Prime Minister Pokorn Nilpraphand outlined progress on revising the Firearms Act, stating that legal changes alone cannot solve the problem. Thailand shares land and sea borders with neighboring countries where instability persists, allowing weapons to smuggle across. The current law, in place since 1947, covers legal imports but contains loopholes. Firearms fall into two categories: legal and illegal. The key reform needed is restructuring the entire legal firearms system, as different agencies currently operate independently without proper coordination.
Previous attempts to develop a centralized gun registry have been incomplete and disconnected, lacking effective monitoring systems. Gun shops are not legally required to share responsibility for oversight. While registered firearms rarely cause problems, the main issue stems from people acquiring illegal weapons or purchasing legally but failing to register them, converting legal guns into contraband. Illegal firearms fall into three categories: smuggled weapons across borders, legally purchased but unregistered guns, and homemade firearms.
The Interior Ministry has proposed controlling legally imported firearms through system overhaul, registration, and use restrictions. A voluntary surrender program will allow people to hand over firearms to authorities without penalty if uncertain about legality. Previous amnesty measures had mixed results because they lacked systemic reform. New legislation will tightly regulate gun dealers, licensing systems, and shooting ranges, which currently fall under the Thai Sports Authority's jurisdiction.
On gun buyback proposals, Pokorn noted ongoing discussions with the Interior Ministry and Office of the Council of State due to high budgetary costs. The government prefers voluntary surrender over purchasing guns back. Military and police firearms have existing safeguards, though not foolproof, representing good administrative practice. After gathering public input through September 10, the revised draft will undergo another hearing before submission to the cabinet, expected by mid-September.
