Pakorn revealed that the Ministry of Interior proposes allowing the surrender of illegal firearms without legal penalties, emphasizing the role of gun shops in control and enhanced mental health care, and urging the public to avoid impulsive actions. Tags: [Ministry of Interior, firearm control, gun shops, mental health, public safety]
On 18 Aug 2026 at the Government House, Pakorn Nilprapan, Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, spoke about progress in revising laws and regulations on firearm possession and control as ordered by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul. He said that on 17 Aug, the Ministry of Interior held preliminary discussions and will coordinate further with the Secretariat of the Council of State. The Ministry and government must work together. Tags: [Pakorn Nilprapan, firearm law reform, Ministry of Interior, government coordination]
When asked if all concerns about firearm possession and carrying must be considered, Pakorn said, as the Prime Minister stated, oversight must cover the entire chain: import, sale, possession, licensing, and usage—not just guns but also ammunition. Places where guns are used require strict checks to prevent ammunition leakage. Continuous monitoring is needed, and the licensing system must be completely revamped since it is currently manual and poorly tracked. Introducing technology will speed approvals and improve control by identifying system vulnerabilities.Tags: [firearm regulation, licensing system, ammunition control, technology]
Asked whether the current 10 million firearms in the country will no longer increase, Pakorn replied that no new approvals will be granted.Tags: [firearm ownership cap, government policy]
When asked if law enforcement practices will be considered, Pakorn said gun shops must be responsible for sales control like in other countries—not just the authorities. Authorized sellers must help monitor who they sell to, including mental health checks, which have been lacking. Authorities themselves must also strengthen supervision. However, the problem is hard because many guns have leaked into the market and are widely held. Therefore, the public is urged to avoid acting on impulse.Tags: [gun shop responsibility, mental health screening, law enforcement, firearm leakage, public behavior]
Pakorn said the Ministry of Interior proposed allowing people to surrender guns without penalty. For example, if someone bought a gun but lacks a P.4 license, they can hand it over to the authorities without being penalized. This proposal is part of ongoing efforts.Tags: [gun surrender, Ministry of Interior proposal, unlicensed firearms, legal exemption]
Pakorn added that in countries like Australia, after the mass shooting at Bondi Beach earlier this year, the federal government enacted a Gun Buyback law to purchase guns back from licensed owners. The law remains controversial; some states like the Northern Territory reject it, while others accept it. The buyback price may be lower than the original purchase price by about 1,000 dollars. It is unclear if the program will succeed. This is an example from abroad trying to control firearms. The issue is not unique to Thailand. If gun owners act with good judgment and avoid impulsiveness, problems will not arise.Tags: [gun buyback, Australia, firearm control, public safety]
Asked if, once the system is set, gun owners will be prohibited from pawning guns, Pakorn said pawning guns is already illegal because guns are issued to specific licensed individuals only. Many people are unaware and pawn guns illegally for cash, which is against the law. He suggested that if someone has pawned a gun, they should return it to the authorities to show good faith before the law is enacted, since possessing guns without proper authorization is unlawful.Tags: [gun pawning, illegal activity, law enforcement, public awareness]
When asked if illegal guns must be surrendered to the state, Pakorn confirmed that all guns not legally owned, especially illegal guns, must be turned in. He recalled that during his childhood amid the Vietnam and Cambodian wars, firearms flooded into Thailand and were easy to obtain. Previous governments have encouraged people to return such guns and enacted laws stating that surrendering guns to authorities carries no penalty. This has been done eight times but only yielded limited returns, partly because the licensing system remains outdated.Tags: [illegal firearms, gun surrender, historical context, licensing system]
Asked if foreign firearm laws will be studied for reforms, Pakorn said gun policies differ by country. For example, the U.S. allows gun freedom under its constitution, including military weapons, but gun shops must be licensed and have responsibility to oversee sales and buyers’ behavior; they can refuse sales even with a license. Australia heavily regulates guns; every firearm requires a license. Some individuals own many guns but typically do not misuse them, whereas most problems come from those possessing illegal guns.Tags: [international firearm laws, U.S. gun policy, Australia gun control, gun shop responsibility, illegal firearms]