On Feb 19, caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity as interior minister, issued an order to freeze the issuance of permits to carry firearms in public for one year, supposedly to reduce gun-related violence.
The measure came about a week after a hostage-taking and shooting at Patong Prathan Khiriwat School in Hat Yai district, in which an 18-year-old gunman stormed into the school, fatally wounding the director and holding students hostage before he was overpowered by police.
A one-year freeze on issuing licences to bear concealed arms in public is nothing new. One was also enforced a year ago by Mr Anutin for the same reasons. How effective it was in reducing gun-related violence during that period is unknown. Has the Interior Ministry even conducted an assessment of the results?
The measure is unlikely to reduce gun-related violence at all, as most violent crimes are committed by people who do not have a licence to carry arms, known as the Por 12 document.
Thailand has the second-highest rate of gun-related violence in Southeast Asia after Myanmar, which has been wracked by civil war for decades. There are now 10.3 million guns in private hands, including 6.2 million licensed weapons and 4 million unlicensed or illegal guns, according to the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey.
A major legal loophole is that gun ownership in Thailand is for life, and there was previously no requirement for a mental health certificate when applying for a permit. This means it is unknown how many of the owners of those 6.2 million guns were mentally healthy when they obtained the weapons in the first place.
It was only in 2022 that the cabinet issued a regulation requiring people who want to buy a gun, be it a handgun or a rifle, to present a doctor's certificate confirming they are mentally healthy. Is this safeguard sufficient? No, it is not. A driving licence is renewed every five years to make sure motorists are qualified to drive. It makes sense that gun ownership licences should be renewed every five years to ensure owners are still mentally fit to possess weapons.
It may present an uphill task for authorities to renew all 6.2 million gun licences. For the sake of practicality, the renewal process should be done in multiple phases, starting with those applying for licences now and, later, with other groups who have possessed firearms for a decade or more. A person deemed fit to own a firearm at the age of 30 may suffer from severe stress, depression or cognitive decline decades later. Regular medical screening is the only reliable way to catch these changes before a tragedy occurs.
Limits on the number of guns a person can possess should also be considered seriously. For example, a person should be given a licence to own only one handgun and one rifle, which should be enough for self-defence. If someone wants to own more for sports, they can apply for additional licences from the registrar, who can exercise discretion.
Gun-related violence can be reduced if guns are effectively prevented from falling into the wrong hands.
