Watcharapong to overhaul Firearms Act after school shootings

MGR Online•Politics•17d ago

Reader Briefing

The Chairperson of the Police Committee plans to coordinate with the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Interior to overhaul the Firearms Act to tighten penalties and restrictions.

•Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann is pushing for a major revision of the Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives Act.
•The move follows a shooting incident at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on August 7 and another incident in the Samsen area.
•New measures aim to strictly prohibit carrying firearms outside residences and hold gun owners criminally liable if their registered weapons are used in crimes.
•The Prime Minister has rejected a proposal allowing teachers to carry firearms for self-defense in schools.

Overview

•A 14-year-old male committed a shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on August 7, causing multiple deaths and injuries.
•A high school student used a gun to threaten and assault peers in a school located in the Samsen road area.
•Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann stated that these events reflect a culture of carrying firearms in public leading to great loss.
•Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann is responding to the policy of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to overhaul the Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives Act.
•The Police Committee will discuss the systemic overhaul of the Firearms Act with the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Interior.
•The proposed law will strictly forbid the general public and government officials not on duty from carrying firearms outside their homes.
•Registered gun owners will be held as co-defendants in criminal cases if their firearms are stolen or used by others, unless a loss report was filed beforehand.
•Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann confirmed the Prime Minister rejected the proposal for teachers to carry firearms in schools because teachers are not officials with a direct duty to use weapons.

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Key Entities

Person

Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann(วัชรพงศ์ คูวิจิตรสุวรรณ)

Chairperson of the Police Committee of the House of Representatives and Bhumjaithai Party MP for Saraburi.

Anutin Charnvirakul(อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)ℹ️

The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Organization

Police Committee of the House of Representatives(คณะกรรมาธิการการตำรวจ สภาผู้แทนราษฎร)

The parliamentary committee led by Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann tasked with discussing the overhaul of the Firearms Act.

Royal Thai Police(สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ)ℹ️

The agency that will be consulted by the Police Committee regarding the overhaul of the Firearms Act.

Ministry of Interior(กระทรวงมหาดไทย)ℹ️

The ministry that will be consulted by the Police Committee regarding the overhaul of the Firearms Act.

Bhumjaithai Party(พรรคภูมิใจไทย)ℹ️

The political party to which Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwann belongs.

Place

Debsirin Nonthaburi School(โรงเรียนเทพศิรินทร์ นนทบุรี)

The location where a 14-year-old male committed a shooting on August 7.

Samsen Road(ถนนสามเสน)ℹ️

The area where a high school student used a gun to threaten and assault peers.

Law

Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives Act(พระราชบัญญัติอาวุธปืน เครื่องกระสุนปืนฯ)

The law targeted for a systemic overhaul to increase penalties and restrict firearm carriage.