A Phuket MP has called for a review of shooting ranges operating near major tourist areas, warning they may pose safety risks to both residents and visitors. Chalermpong Saengdee, MP for Phuket Constituency 2 from the People’s Party, raised the issue in parliament on 7 May after authorities recently inspected a shooting range near Bangla Road in Patong.

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The inspection took place on the night of 30 April and involved Phuket Deputy Governor Kong-ek Adul Chuthong, Phuket Provincial Clerk Rungreung Thimabut, district officials from Kathu and other agencies. Officials found the venue operating from 09.00 to 01.30 under a licence issued by the Sports Authority of Thailand through the National Shooting Sport Association of Thailand.

Chalermpong said the venue was classified as a sports shooting range but used real firearms and live ammunition. He warned this could affect public safety and damage Phuket’s tourism image because of its location close to the island’s main nightlife district.

He argued there was a legal loophole allowing shooting ranges to operate under sports regulations, while other activities faced stricter controls. Chalermpong compared the situation to snooker, which is regulated under gambling laws despite being considered a sport.

The MP also raised concerns about tourists potentially leaving shooting ranges with firearms after consuming alcohol. He said intoxicated visitors entering nearby entertainment areas could create serious risks for the public.

According to Chalermpong, Phuket currently has around eight licensed shooting ranges operating across Muang Phuket, Thalang and Kathu districts. He added that foreign tourists had previously used firearms at shooting ranges to take their own lives in three separate cases.

Matichon reported that he urged parliament to coordinate with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Department of Provincial Administration, the Interior Ministry and the Royal Thai Police to review licensing procedures and strengthen oversight of shooting ranges located near tourist attractions.

Picture courtesy of Matichon

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Matichon 8 May 2026

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At least if the tourists are at the shooting range, they aren't on rented scooters. Statistically, the residents are probably safer with the guns.

Well, so far perhaps the tourists aren't engaged in the sport of shooting a cow with a bazooka like in Cambodia. Google says searching "Cambodia RPG cow story" is one way of finding the infamous thread on Reddit that starts "Welp, I did something terrible..."

"Near" tourist spots and he's worried. Wait until he hears about the range in Switzerland where they shoot over a public road 🤣

Weird that there aren't more suicides at the shooting ranges.

If I had to choose between a bullet or balcony fall ....

25 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Weird that there aren't more suicides at the shooting ranges.

There are. We just don't hear about them. There was a range in Pattaya that shut down years ago after repeated suicides.

3 hours ago, FlorC said:

Weird that there aren't more suicides at the shooting ranges.

If I had to choose between a bullet or balcony fall ....

There was a string of gun range suicides in Pattaya and Bangkok a number of years ago. A number of new regulations were put in place like customers had to have a range person with them while in the shooting box. I'm sure most of those rules put in place in response to the suicides back then have fallen by the wayside.