What Are The Gun Ownership Laws?

[SebD]

Being one of the relatively few (very few, perhaps, these days) UK residents with a licence to own firearms, but not being as familiar with Thai laws governing such as I'd like, will my UK firearms licences be sufficient to my automatically obtaining similar licences in Thailand?

[Naam]

NO!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

NO!

I agree with Naam.

[Carib]

Take a look at this topic, it may give you some insight.

www.thaivisa.com/forum/Gun-t194941.html

[mrt273nva]

Being one of the relatively few (very few, perhaps, these days) UK residents with a licence to own firearms, but not being as familiar with Thai laws governing such as I'd like, will my UK firearms licences be sufficient to my automatically obtaining similar licences in Thailand?

you could try it. i would like to see the look on the cops face when you say "it's ok, i have a Uk license for this thing"

[simon43]

I had a UK firearms licence - held it for maybe 12 years in the UK and was a regular game shooter. I had a collection of maybe 40 weapons (I was intending to overthrow the British government - joke).

When I came to Thailand, there was no way that I could bring my guns or get a licence over here... they were all surrendered to the UK police

Simon

[a2396]

Another totally silly question.

[A_Traveller]

An overview of the framework is below, though despite this plethora, the trade in illegal small arms is often acknowledged to be widespread.

• Firearms, Ammunition, Explosive Articles and Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act, B.E. 2490 (1947)
  
• Munitions of War Control Act, B.E. 2530 (1987)
  
• Decree on the Export Control of Armaments and Material, B.E. 2535 (1992)
  
• Order of the National Administrator Reform Committee No.37 (October 1976)
  
• Ministerial Regulation No.12 (1981), issued under the Firearms, Ammunitions, Explosives, Fireworks and Firearm Equivalents Act 1947
  
• Ministerial Regulation No.1 (1977), issued under the Order of the National Administrative Reform Committee No. 37
  
• Ministerial Regulation No.2 (1977), issued under the Order of the National Administrative Reform Committee No. 37
  
• Ministerial Regulation No.3 (1977), issued under the Order of the National Administrative Reform Committee No. 37
  
• Ministerial Regulation No.4 (1977), issued under the Order of the National 3
  
• Administrative Reform Committee No. 37
  
• Act Controlling Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms No.4 (1967)
  
• Notification of the Ministry of Interior. Appointment of Registrars, Officers and Officials under the Firearms, Ammunitions, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act 1947
  

In summary, a foreigner in Thailand is unable to carry a firearm, without express permission, which is very rarely granted. For a Thai citizen, they must show themselves to be good members of the community, show cause for issuance of the licence, and I seem to recall show or pay a specific sum {see below} for a firearm licence to be provided. As in other countries the regulations specify class of weapon, including shot-guns, small bore rifles, hand guns etc..

From a report submitted by the Thai authorities to the UN, in 2005:-

Any person who desires to possess small arms (pistols) must obtain permission from the authorities concerned. In Bangkok, the Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police is responsible for granting permit licenses of gun possession. An inter-agency, committee, comprising agencies such as the Office of Narcotics Control Board, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Office of the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, will be set up to verify the qualification of each applicant. Then, the persons who have authority to grant permit license are the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police and provincial governors. Permit licenses can be cancelled any time when the licensee is proven to have committed a crime or to have used guns inappropriately. The person whose license was cancelled will never be granted a permit license again.

The Ministry of Interior released the ministerial order on 29 May 2003 to suspend the permit license granting for all types of rifle temporarily due to the increasing number of crime cases caused by small arms and according to the government policy to suppress firearms, illegal arms, and organised crime. Such authorisation must be given by the Minister of Defence.

For a civilian who wishes to obtain a possessing license, he/she has to be over 35 years old and possess a saving account more than 1 million Baht at least 6 months. In case an applicant for a permit license owns a business or is a company manager, the registered capital must be at least 10 million Baht. In addition, this act states that any government officer who desires to carry government issued guns and ammunitions out of the office in a non-emergency case has to ask for permission from the head of the agency, and must have the letter of permission at hand.

The Ministry of Interior has proposed new Amnesty Act to exempt penalties to any person possessing illegal arms in order to help reduce the number of illegal arms possession in the country. At present, this Act has not yet been endorsed but is in the final review process.{2005, don't recall that it happened} However, Thailand has enacted the Amnesty Acts six times in the past, namely, in 1948, 1958, 1975, 1987, 1992 and 2000.

Regards

[SebD]

Another totally silly question.

Hi Thumper.

Do you really think I'd waste time (yours or mine) on a totally silly question?

The higher the horse - the further the fall.

[a2396]

Another totally silly question.

Hi Thumper.

Do you really think I'd waste time (yours or mine) on a totally silly question?

The higher the horse - the further the fall.

Aparently so. You just did. I haven't seen Bambi since I was a kid, unless you mean Bambi Woods or Lawrencia Bembenek - good entertainment & a good movie.

[jumnien]

I've shot guns at the army shooting ranges throughout Thailand and rifles and pistols at our farm. It's all good fun; don't do it much. Several friends have guns in their thai wife's name. I think it is difficult to put in your own name, like many things are here. You can use it on the army ranges though.

[TopDogger]

I "heard" that if you had a work permit you could get a firearms licence and own upto a .22 calibre rifle...