Thai PM Calls for Tighter Gun and Drug Laws After Pre-School Massacre

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered tighter controls on guns and drugs in the wake of a cold-blooded mass killing last week carried out by a lone attacker which left 37 dead, including 24 young children. 

The announcement comes amid criticisms around government inaction after a disturbing string of attacks by military and police personnel, which has sparked calls for reforms to these institutions, as well as calls to address Thailand’s drug and gun culture.

The gun and knife attack on Oct. 6 at a pre-school in the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu is the country’s deadliest attack in recent history, carried out by an ex-cop who killed his wife, child, and then himself after the rampage. VICE World News has chosen not to name the attacker.

In the wake of the tragedy, Prayut on Monday called for a “serious campaign” on gun control, ordering the Royal Thai Police to target both legal and illegal gun markets, government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said in a statement published on the Royal Thai Government website. Among the reforms mentioned were revoking gun licenses from registered owners with “bad behavior” that “threatens society” and “creates chaos or causes unrest.” “High-risk groups” identified by authorities—including teenagers, some expats, and criminals—may have their licenses revoked upon investigation, the statement also said.

Meanwhile, police chief Damrongsak Kittipraphat proposed mental health checks for applicants of gun licenses, as well as the confiscation of firearms from police officers who have a history of violence. This may be also extended to retired police officers, he said on Monday.

Specific policies are yet to be nailed down, however, with Prayut set to host a meeting with government ministers on Wednesday to determine what measures could be implemented to address drug- and firearm-related issues. 

While many of the deaths occurred due to wounds inflicted by a knife in last week’s attack, the attacker also used a firearm in his rampage, including to force his way into the school. This fact has put Thailand’s gun culture in the spotlight again, sparking concerns about the accessibility of firearms.

There are more guns owned by private citizens in Thailand than in any other Southeast Asian country, Switzerland-based research project Small Arms Survey found using 2017 data. Out of Thailand’s 10.3 million guns recorded by researchers, only 6.2 million were legally registered, with the rest coming from the country’s thriving underground firearms market. 

While legal firearms are unaffordable for many in Thailand, authorities including the police and state enterprises, run a “gun welfare program” which allows their staff to buy firearms at a discount. According to local reports, the semi-automatic handgun used by the attacker in Nong Bua Lamphu was legally obtained, bought under the gun welfare program. 

Lone gunman shootings are rare in Thailand, though not unheard of. In a 2020 mass shooting now known as Korat, a soldier killed 29 people over two days while live-streaming what was then the deadliest mass shooting Thailand had seen. While the government pledged to implement new measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring again, there have been limited policy changes since Korat, with shootings by soldiers continuing to make their way into national headlines. 

On Friday, police arrested one man, identified as a copycat of Thursday’s assailant, for attempting to stage a similar shooting in southern Thailand. 

Much of the conversation in the wake of last week’s attack has also surrounded illicit drugs, which were immediately pushed by authorities as an explanation for the killings. Known for his history of drug use, the former cop was discharged from duty for drug offenses and had attended court for a narcotics charge on the morning of the attack. Autopsy results later revealed, however, that he had not consumed drugs within 72 hours of the shooting. 

Still, Prayut has also called for a further crackdown on drugs, ordering a review of current laws, spokesperson Anucha said on Monday. The prime minister has instructed authorities to carry out drug tests on officials and communities, as well as improve rehabilitation efforts for those struggling with addiction. 

The Golden Triangle, a region along the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos notorious for its illegal drug trade, has seen a sharp rise in synthetic drug production and trafficking since 2021 as a result of civil unrest following Myanmar’s coup. Just last week, 8.6 million methamphetamine pills were seized in northern Thailand, with four suspects arrested over three days. 

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