School Shooting in Thailand: Gun Control Tightened

Thailand is tightening gun control measures following a school shooting last week. Nine people were killed in the incident, including the 14-year-old gunman.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday instructed authorities nationwide to enforce stricter weapon controls.

He ordered the temporary suspension of gun purchase licenses and instructed both emergency and long-term measures to crack down on illegally possessed weapons and black-market arms trafficking.

On August 7, a high school on the outskirts of Bangkok turned into a scene of violence when a 14-year-old student opened fire. The incident left at least nine people dead and more than 20 injured.

A 12-year-old girl was among those wounded in the shooting, with a bullet lodged in her leg. The girl's mother, Yenchit Phongphitak, shared, "My daughter said, 'Please treat my teacher first. Their condition is more critical than mine.'"

Doctors had to perform multiple X-rays after discovering the bullet was deeply embedded in her leg before proceeding with surgery.

Students, teachers, and others currently fighting for their lives—none of them were prepared for such violence.

Her mother added, "She sent a message to our family chat group. It was a shocking message: 'I don't want to die.' Innocent people lost their lives. How many more of these tragic events must happen before a solution is found?"

Just days after the incident, another shooting occurred a few kilometers away, where a gunman killed an official inside a local government office.

Guns are easily accessible in Thailand, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Southeast Asia.

It is estimated that over 10 million guns are in circulation in the country—roughly one gun for every seven people. However, around 40 percent of those weapons are believed to be illegal. (CCTV Plus)