Thailand Listed Second in Southeast Asia for Firearm-Related Crime

Thailand Listed Second in Southeast Asia for Firearm-Related Crime

Thailand ranks second in Southeast Asia for firearm-related crime behind the Philippines, according to 2019 data from the Global Burden of Disease study that has returned to public attention. The figures resurfaced following the deadly attack at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, where multiple people were killed and more than 15 others were injured. Although Thailand has relatively strict firearm laws compared with several countries in the region, investigators are still examining how the teenage suspect obtained the weapon used in the shooting. The incident received extensive international media coverage, while Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described what happened as a tragedy that should never have occurred. The attack has renewed scrutiny of gun access, school security and the effectiveness of existing firearm controls in Thailand.