"Anutin" opened up about the tragic shooting at a prominent Nonthaburi school, affirming that the government is strict on firearms control. Anyone carrying guns and acting aggressively will be immediately arrested without leniency.
On 10 August 2026, at Phakdi Bodin Building, Government House, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul presided over the 2026 Outstanding Village Headman Award ceremony. He remarked that 10 August each year is Village Headman Day, which is highly significant not only to administrative officials but also to elected political representatives under the supervision of village heads.
Normally on Monday, 10 August, the Bhumjaithai Party would hold meetings with leaders and ministers to advance policies. However, since it was an important day, the Prime Minister approved all ministers to submit leave requests to visit local communities, listen to their issues, and bring these concerns back to the government to improve work efficiency.
The Prime Minister added that he had originally prepared his formal white attire for the ceremony, but due to a full schedule from early morning and the tragic shooting incident involving teachers and students at a prominent Nonthaburi school, which caused casualties and injuries, he had no time to change. He emphasized to village heads nationwide that such incidents cannot be allowed to recur because they severely undermine society. The event caused loss of life and injury, destroying futures and depriving families of their main support, while survivors, though physically unharmed, face serious psychological trauma. As local administrators, everyone must work to prevent such occurrences.
"At the Ministry of Interior, you will notice I have never permitted civilians to carry firearms. Ordinary citizens have no reason to possess guns. Although most gun owners act responsibly, there are times when lack of self-control leads to unacceptable incidents. Therefore, we must not allow such tools to facilitate harm. Previously, I and the Ministry of Interior were criticized for causing the firearms business to decline, but I stand firm that we must prioritize social safety over commercial value, as violence only breeds imitation," the Prime Minister stated.
He also explained legal constraints, noting that in the previous government he lacked a majority and was not Prime Minister, so could not amend firearms laws. In this parliament, he intends to work on law revisions to maximize public safety. Furthermore, the current Department of Provincial Administration announcement, signed by the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, must be strictly followed by village heads. Any government official carrying firearms in public or outside their residence without being on official duty is committing an offense subject to penalties, and civilians are absolutely prohibited from carrying guns.
"We must not wait until after losses occur to act. We have taken preventive steps but some breaches still happen. Therefore, I call on village heads to cooperate in monitoring their areas. Anyone found brandishing firearms or carrying them into restaurants must be prosecuted immediately without exception to serve as a deterrent. Do not assume gun users are skilled; unskilled users are even more dangerous due to inaccurate aiming. Thai society cannot continue to tolerate this," said Anutin. He added that the incident required him to closely oversee and direct the situation. After the award ceremony, he would personally visit the incident site in Nonthaburi.