The use of “blank guns” in crimes across Thailand has been on a steady rise, with over 1,000 cases recorded last year. The surge was triggered by a shocking incident involving a 14 year old boy who opened fire in Siam Paragon shopping mall, Bangkok resulting in two deaths and multiple injuries.

 

The weapon of choice by the teenage murderer was a modified blank gun, which is not classified as illegal and can be freely bought and sold.

 

Anutin Charnvirakul, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, chaired a meeting yesterday at Government House, to discuss measures to control the possession, carrying, and use of firearms, ammunition, gun replicas, and fake guns to ensure public safety.

The meeting, summarised by Karm Plapon, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, approved several immediate and long-term measures.

 

by Samantha Rose 

Photo: Torange/aseantoday.com

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-06

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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The use of “blank guns” in crimes across Thailand has been on a steady rise, with over 1,000 cases recorded last year. The surge was triggered by a shocking incident involving a 14 year old boy who opened fire in Siam Paragon.....

This reads (to me at least) as though the shooting in Siam Paragon has caused a surge of shootings....but it was the possibly other way around ie the surge in shootings with 'blank guns' made them more readily available and led to the 'shocking incident'.

Blank guns, otherwise called toys, are sold freely. But isn't it the people who offer the service of making them fire real bullets the real problem?

Chris Rock had the answer when he suggested charging $5,000 per bullet.

Blank guns are legal, as they are as they say blank, but they should be made of a material that renders them useless when trying to modify them into real guns.

12 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Blank guns are legal, as they are as they say blank, but they should be made of a material that renders them useless when trying to modify them into real guns.

 

4 minutes ago, No Forwarding Address said:

Naah, just leave them flimsy, that way when modified they will explode in the perpetrators hand while firing real bullets, Bet he/she won't try that again.............https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEV15uVnhG4.          Peace

 

Isn't that what I said?

Blank guns are not illegal, which raises the question, why are they not classified as illegal when they can be modified and used to kill?

Why not make steel pipe illegal because it can by modified into a gun.  And if that doesn't work, it can but used to bash someone in the head.  How about knives and machetes.  My guess is that more people are killed with sharp bladed weapons than guns, especially modified "blank guns."  So obviously all knives should be registered.   And steel pipe. And rebar.  And glass bottles and glass in general. Better make cars illegal too.  Think of how many lives that would save in Thailand every year. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The weapon of choice by the teenage murderer was a modified blank gun, which is not classified as illegal and can be freely bought and sold.

Misleading. A blank firing pistol is legal. A blank firing pistol modiified to fire live ammunition is illegal. ????

Here we go again, shut the door after the horse has bolted.

How long will this discussion last,,,,,,2 weeks ?

When I was younger I had an air rifle that took pointed metal pellets.  It could shoot clean though a yellow pages phone book.  Amazing what is considered a ''toy''.

Edited October 6, 20232 yr by Chris Daley

21 hours ago, webfact said:

a modified blank gun, which is not classified as illegal

Yet other news sources say they ARE illegal which makes more sense.

19 hours ago, Purdey said:

Blank guns, otherwise called toys, are sold freely. But isn't it the people who offer the service of making them fire real bullets the real problem?

Chris Rock had the answer when he suggested charging $5,000 per bullet.

I suspect blank guns that are being sold are deliberately readily convertible to firing live rounds.....one would normally expect them to take your hand off if that was attempted! 

Since they have all appearance of a real gun the same controls are needed. 

Edited October 7, 20232 yr by jacko45k
two ffs in off