On 7th of August, Thailand saw its first student-led gun violence in a school. This incident occurred at Nonthaburi, a province right above Bangkok, where a high school student brought a firearm into the school premises and attacked several teachers and staff.
Police arrived shortly after, and concluded that the boy had turned the firearm upon himself within the last minute. Reports indicate 7 people have lost their lives in this incident, with 2 being the perpetrator's grandparents.
This incident raised several questions from the public regarding gun safety laws. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a statement that the incident "shouldn't have happened." He also said that he will make gun laws stricter.
Such incident highlights the importance of gun safety laws, and also brings up the government's role in enforcing these laws. In the past decade, more than 6 shootings have occured in Thailand, which raises questions regarding national security and public safety.
Some of the major shootings that have occured in the past few years are the following:
Nakhon Ratchasima Shooting: On the 8th of February 2020, a soldier from the Royal Thai Army had started one of the worst shootings in Thailand. The perpetrator had stolen arms and ammunition from his stationed base, after he had shot his commanding officer and other soldiers nearby. He stole a military-issued Humvee before driving to a mall (Terminal 21 Korat) where he had opened fire on nearby civilians and workers. The whole incident was livestreamed by the shooter on Facebook, shortly after, Thai commandos arrived and finally shot him, resulting in his death.
Nong Bua Lamphu Massacre: On the 6th of October 2022, the worse massacre ever seen in Thailand had taken place. A former police sergeant had murdered roughly 37 people, about 20 of which were children. The perpetrator had entered a nursery armed with a gun, and a knife. He killed many through gunshots, stabbing and vehicle-ramming. After the crime, the perpetrator had shot himself to death. This massacre went down as the worst massacre ever seen in Thailand.
Such violence stains the integrity of the law, and raises questions about the Government's action to protect civilians, and ensure public safety, especially for children.