Stricter controls over firearms, fireworks and explosives

[Hans Rayong]

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/thailand-gun-death-rate-twice-high-us/

 

[bazza73]

3 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Self Defense  comes to mind , especially with all the mafia and Gun ho Idiots around .They shoot you around here  for a frowned look.

Why are you still living there?

[gandalf12]

Good idea. Now they just need to get a grip on the Thai's that think they are Dirty Harry

[Arkady]

During the second reading of the bill in March this year it was reported in a Thai language business news website that NLA member Pornsak Chianyai questioned the bill's prohibition on issuing permits to foreigners, saying this would have an impact on foreigners who had a legitimate need to own and use firearms for sport or their work.  The report did not give examples of the work for which foreigners might need gun permits.  However, I am aware that some foreign embassy officials have or have had Por 4 permits issued by the Bangkok licensing authority. I don't know if any have been issued with Por 12 concealed carry permits but I recall a former Saudi charge d'affairs showing off the .357 magnum revolver he always carried in his car to reporters. There was no official response to this at the time.  Perhaps diplomats from the countries that have no problem with their foreign service staff carrying guns around on foreign postings will just hold on to their guns, relying on their diplomatic immunity.

 

It is certainly true that US DEA agents have had Por 4 permits issued by the Bangkok registrar and plus Por 12 concealed carry permits valid for the entire Kingdom, issued by the national police chief.  I remember hearing about this from a Thai-American local police officer, a former deputy sheriff in Colorado, who had been assigned to the old Bangkok registrar in Lard Phrao, when it was still under the police, to liaise on the case.   There was some reluctance to issue the permits for fear of a public outcry in case one of the agents might actually have killed someone.  But the US refused to post the agents, who were expected to do dangerous fieldwork with their Thai counterparts, to Thailand, if they could not carry guns to protect themselves.  The permits were issued, since Thailand obviously valued the DEA presence at that time.  However, I don't know if the US still has DEA agents operating in Thailand, or if they do, whether they are still armed.      
     

[Mainhattencitizen]

4 hours ago, jaiyen said:

No problem, my wife can still legally buy a gun. Foreigners can still easily buy a stolen gun, so the new rule will change nothing, except on paper.

Exactly, another Thai law passed without thinking what they are doing.

[Falcon]

Normal rascist bullshit laws from this  junta government and I see a lot of foreigners posting in here supporting them. Where guns are concerned, it’s always been a subject of contention, with the fors and againsts but like someone already asked, what about those of us who already have firearms certificates? Are we to be allowed to keep them or are they going to retract and cancel them? The usual people who are against guns ask why would anyone want a gun, well, there’s many reasons why we’d either want a gun or need a gun both in this country and in our home countries. Firstly, for the protection of our homes and families which will always be top priority for me, secondly, for some of us, for our jobs. I work in close protection both here and overseas and carry a weapon in many countries whilst working just as any other security professional does. Do I need a gun to protect my client? Answer to that in 99% if cases is no, but the simplicity of it is that it’s there in case of the 1%. Thirdly, reasons for having a firearm are that of being a member of a shooting club with competitions and such. There’s nothing wrong with owning weapons, it’s the mentality of the bearer that should come under scrutiny, not the nationality. Hell, if we look at the Thai police who all carry weapons (guns) and their mentalities, logic says that most of the Thai police should have their weapons taken away from them and they be exchanged for the little stick (truncheon) that the UK police are issued with as the police firearms training is a joke.

[bristolgeoff]

if you own a gun  and police catch you the tea money is alot to keep them quiet and for you to leave.doing this it will make more tea money for the police.as far as i know if you are caught with a gun only trouble follows and lots of tea money

[cyberfarang]

4 hours ago, jaiyen said:

No problem, my wife can still legally buy a gun. Foreigners can still easily buy a stolen gun, so the new rule will change nothing, except on paper.

I`m afraid it will change a lot.

 

Many foreigners believe by using their Thai wives names, including buying land and property, owning businesses and now guns shields them from the laws, but it doesn`t. If owning a gun illegally in a Thai person`s name obtains one illegally without registration, and a foreigner uses a gun or is caught with a gun, that foreigner will be in a whole heap of trouble. I`d think about this again is I were you.

[The manic]

'Our ' village. No. Their village. Their culture. Their lifestyle. 

[MyFriend You]

5 hours ago, catman20 said:

why would you want a gun? you must live in a bad area.

 

4 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Snakes?

Better to have one and not need it then need one and not have it, I always say - of course there are those people out there that should not be given permission to come within 2 blocks of a firearm, those are the idiots hey ned to regulate.

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, mecons1 said:

What will happen to those ex-pats already legally owning a firearm will the law be retrospective?

 

I haven't seen the full draft of the bill but it is a set of amendments to the 1947 Firearms Act, not a completely new Act, and my understanding is that they have simply added to the list of exclusions for the issuance of permits, "Those who do not have Thai nationality".  Previously the only exclusions relevant to foreigners were, "Those who do not have a permanent address" and "Those who do not have an occupation".  These exclusions were generally interpreted in Bangkok to permit foreigners with permanent residence and work permits, while provincial governors generally denied all foreigners.  

 

Since the Por 4 permit allowing possession and use of a firearm for either defence of life and property or for sport (in the case of calibers greater than .38 or 9mm) is valid for as long as you own the gun, there seems to me to be no likelihood that existing licences issued to foreigners will be revoked, although the existing law already gives the minister the discretion to revoke any licence.  Por 12 permits for concealed carry are a different matter though since they have to be renewed every 12 months.  Foreigners with these and there must be precious few, if any these days, will not be able to renew them but should be able to keep their guns at home on their Por 4 permits which you need to have first before you apply for a Por 12 which is for a particular gun specified on the permit, unlike US CCW permits that allow the holder to carry any gun he or she can conceal about their person.   

 

[MyFriend You]

4 hours ago, bkkgriz said:

That was not a gun. It was a huge knife. Guns are the things that shoot bullets. Knives are sharp pointy things.

Yeah, but if he had a gun, I think Mr Somchai would be dead today..........that Aussie idiot came unhinged over a simple traffic accident.

[IAMHERE]

One more straw. It is starting to look as though they don't like us from another country.

[ttrd]

5 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

Good measure, cause we all know its those foreigners driving around with guns in their car and waving them around as soon as someone passes them on the highway.

The new rule seems to not cover everything so luckily foreigners still have some legal rights - hints: Aussie/HomePro/GardenTools...;)

[MyFriend You]

2 hours ago, dlgarno said:

You have just notified all the Khmoys in Thailand to burglarize the residences of foreigners as they have no guns.

Yep, but that las five words is not true by a long shot................I would only have one for the home, it would never leave my house.

[Arkady]

9 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

I`m afraid it will change a lot.

 

Many foreigners believe by using their Thai wives names, including buying land and property, owning businesses and now guns shields them from the laws, but it doesn`t. If owning a gun illegally in a Thai person`s name obtains one illegally without registration, and a foreigner uses a gun or is caught with a gun, that foreigner will be in a whole heap of trouble. I`d think about this again is I were you.

 

You are correct in principle here but the existing law provides some let outs through wording such as "without good reason'.  Thus a licensed gun owner could have a good reason to allow a member of their household to use their gun in response to a deadly threat such as a home invasion by armed intruders.  I could see a Thai court acquitting a foreign husband using his wife's gun to protect her, although he would probably have to pay a lot to police and maybe to the family of whoever got shot.  

 

I recall a case where the crippled owner of a minimart was alerted by one of his male employees that an armed robbery was taking place in the minimart that was in front of his house and the assailant was holding a gun to the female cashier's head. The minimart owner pressed his registered gun into the hands of his employee and urged him to use it to save the life of the cashier.  The employee rushed back into the store and successfully shot the intruder dead without harm to anyone else.  The police didn't press charges against the employee or the gun owner.  However, I can't say how much was donated to the local cop shop's annual hop.

 

Taking someone else's registered gun and ammo to a shooting range to practice or for sport would definitely not be regarded as a good reason and could get both the person found in possession and the owner into big trouble.  However, if you get your Thai wife to buy a gun and she always accompanies you to the range, there is no problem, since there is no prohibition against using borrowed or rented guns at registered shooting ranges.  Make sure you transport the gun and ammo in separate locked boxes in your car with the gun unloaded and magazine removed.  Bolts should also be removed from bolt action rifles for transport.  Make sure you have either the original or at least a good quality colour photocopy of the Por 4 with you, as well as membership cards to shooting ranges (in the gun owner's name) and/or details of any competition you are participating in.          

[jvs]

2 hours ago, habanero said:

There is no such thing as banning guns.  Criminals will always have them.  What do they care what the law is? That's why they are called criminals. If I recall, certain drugs are banned, but people by the millions are still getting and using them. 

 The reason a sane person needs a gun is that the insane have them and when seconds count. The police are only minutes away.

Very new argument,never heard that one before!!!

[AjarnMartin]

Another unnecessary and useless piece of Thai legislation when so many of the current laws have fallen into disrepair. It might be more helpful if the police were able to (or had more incentive) to address these and then Thailand would be a much safer place to live? Of course, one reads every day in TV about farangs firing off guns and killing people whereas no Thais with guns are involved... NOT!!! As other posters have observed, a more stringent approach to driving and the issuing of licences would result in far fewer deaths than new gun legislation. But what do we know, we’re only ‘aliens’ and treated as such...???

[juice777]

There you go Americans if Thailand can change a amendment any country can.



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[Arkady]

I noticed two more things about the new law in Thai news reports.

 

1) Replica guns will also be regulated. Since I can't yet find a complete draft of the law, I can't say whether this will also apply to BB and airsoft guns that are currently legal in Thailand even if they look just like the real thing, like the ones the Chinese gang used to try to rob a gunshop in Bangkok last year.

 

2) The Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) will apparently be empowered to issue Por 4 (basic ownership permits) and Por 12 (concealed carry permits) to Bangkok residents.  In the current law this power resides only with provincial governors and the national police chief.  However, during the Thaksin government the power to issue permits to Bangkok residents was removed from the police by Interior Minister Snoh Tienthong and delegated to DOPA but only for Por 4 permits.  The new amendment, according to news reports, specifies that DOPA will be allowed to issue both Por 4 and Por 12 (concealed carry) permits to Bangkok residents.  I expect this amendment will simply be used to statutorily legalise the status quo whereby DOPA issues Por 4 permits to Bangkok residents at its Wang Chaiya office and Por 12 permits will continue to be issued by the national police.  However, it is possible that Wang Chaiya will be allowed to issue Por 12 permits to Bangkok residents for concealed carry in Bangkok like the licenses issued in other provinces valid only in one province.  This could mean two things: 1) an increased number of concealed carry permits in Bangkok; 2) greater revenue earning opportunities for police who catch Bangkok only concealed permit holders straying into the adjoining provinces with their loaded guns.           

[habanero]

10 minutes ago, juice777 said:

There you go Americans if Thailand can change a amendment any country can.



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Yeah right. Thailand is the one the Americans should be taking advice from. Such a shining example.  Oh, and America has a real constitution. 

[Time Traveller]

39 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Yeah, but if he had a gun, I think Mr Somchai would be dead today..........that Aussie idiot came unhinged over a simple traffic accident.

Legally he could have owned a gun.

Aussie road rager didn't threaten anyone with gun, therefore law must be changed.? 

 

Your argument makes no sense. By the law he could have legally owned a gun. Whether he did or not, yet still he did not threaten anyone with a firearm so what's that got to do with laws allowing foreigners to legally own firearms? 

Try to use a little bit of thinking before posting meaningless hypotheticals. 

[Eagleizer]

Seems to me it would be a lot more sensible to ban guns for Thai people...

[MadMac]

14 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

and now strict control over drones. even small drones used in photography.

 

Drones were always illegal as you need a license for anything radio,

[Arkady]

1 minute ago, Time Traveller said:

Your argument makes no sense. By the law he could have legally owned a gun. Whether he did or not, yet still he did not threaten anyone with a firearm so what's that got to do with laws allowing foreigners to legally own firearms?

Foreigners are not banned from getting permits under the existing law but the gentleman in question is 72 and therefore is unlikely to be able to show evidence of having an occupation in Thailand and probably doesn't have a permanent address as evidenced by a PR's residence book which the existing law requires.  He is also living in Chonburi province where I believe the provincial governor has been exercising his discretion not issue to permits to foreigners for some time.

[jgarbo]

6 hours ago, jaiyen said:

No problem, my wife can still legally buy a gun. Foreigners can still easily buy a stolen gun, so the new rule will change nothing, except on paper.

Why does any (intelligent ) farang need a gun here? Shooting cobras in the garden? What else can you do, legally?

[eliotness]

Everyone seems to be talking about handguns.  We live on a farm on the edge of a forest ( with no protected species ) and it would be useful to have either a good 22 airifle or rifle as we have many wild chickens eating our crops.  Are such weapons included in this government decree ?

[Bill Miller]

2 hours ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

A 'responsible' gun owner.

If you were a responsible person you would not have a gun.

 

How about not passing judgement on people you know absolutely nothing about?
My home in the states is off grid, a good hour from any emergency services, and well supplied with venomous snakes, coyotes, badgers, mountain lions, and bad tempered bulls.
A responsible person would not flap their jaws about something they know nothing about.

[PAIBKK]

5 hours ago, captspectre said:

I was always told that foreigners could not own guns in Thailand! only Thai's could own guns and shoot each other! never heard of a foreigner shooting anyone in thailand. but the thai's hypocrites more than make up for it by killing each other with guns!

i

The only foreigners that used a gun were the ones that shot Tony Kenway in January this year.
Were those guns purchased legally? Sure they were  !!!

[PAIBKK]

In the email from Thaivisa.com News Editor I read: " Govt to ban foreigners living in Thailand from owning guns. "
What will be the chance that the next news about foreigners will be: " Govt to ban foreigners living in Thailand. " ???

 

Yes, like always: Thais don't do this, blame it on the farangs / foreigners !!!