The Prime Minister, including Minister Anutin, was not exempt from strict random checks for firearms and drugs at Buriram checkpoints, just like the public, underscoring police and local authorities' commitment to implementing policies for community safety.
At 11:00 a.m. on 16 August 2026, local administrative officers and police jointly set up strict checkpoints to search for firearms and drugs in Ban Dan Subdistrict, Ban Dan District, Buriram Province, and several other areas within the province. This operation was conducted according to government policy. Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul which focuses on strict enforcement and prevention of firearm proliferation in society.
While officials were performing their duties, Anutin, who was on assignment in the area, was requested to undergo the same search as the public. The Prime Minister asked, “Did you find anything?” The police responded, “Nothing, sir.” The Prime Minister then asked again, “Do you mean at the usual checkpoints around here?” The police replied, “We only found drugs.”
This escalation of firearm control measures comes after Thai society has faced a series of shocking violent incidents, including a 14-year-old youth committing a school shooting, the son of a well-known politician striking a fellow student with a gun, and the brazen attack by former Nonthaburi MP Chalerm Riewrang shooting former Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization chief Pol. Col. Thongchai Yenprasert.
To address the root causes and prevent firearms from falling into situations that could lead to repeated violence, the Prime Minister previously issued a decisive order suspending all firearm purchase licenses (Por.3) and possession licenses (Por.4) until the Cabinet decides otherwise. He also ordered the Department of Provincial Administration to cancel the practice of awarding firearms as rewards to village headmen and subdistrict chiefs. All these measures aim primarily to safeguard the lives and property of the people.
