Bangkok gun shops: What's inside and why tourists can't buy

Hefty taxes turn most expats off buying guns, while visitors are limited to accessorizing

By Richard S. Ehrlich

Browning, file photo. Source: Wikipedia

If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.

Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's gun shops are located.

Most of the shops have been in business for more than 40 years and welcome walk-in customers, but may discourage photographs of their deadly arsenals.

Expats and other foreigners working in Thailand can buy guns, but import taxes of around 30 percent -- plus hefty retail profits -- discourage most foreigners. [more...]

Full article/pictures: http://www.cnngo.com...thailand-009893

-- cnngo.com 2012-01-02

Yes, the prices for most handguns are outrages even for us from socialist parts of Europe.

Webfact, thank you so much for posting this article. It answers alot of questions I had about Thai gun law. Every time I asked on the forum I got a bunch of <snip> spouting off on how guns are evil rather than an answer to my questions.

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

According to the study, published last year in The Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, European nations with more guns had lower murder rates. As summarized in a brief filed by several criminologists and other scholars supporting the challenge to the Washington law, the seven nations with the most guns per capita had 1.2 murders annually for every 100,000 people. The rate in the nine nations with the fewest guns was 4.4.

The criminals here already seem to have guns. So time for the rest of the population to catch up.....

Some funny stuff from the original article. Apparently if you are poor, there is no need for a gun. "The law says that when you want to own a gun, it is to protect yourself and your assets. So if you don't have any assets, why would you need a gun to protect yourself? Basically, what they just want to know is, 'Do you have a job, an income'? This is clearly wrong thinking . The poor people need guns to protect themselves from the crazed rich people who think they can shoot whoever they want.. :-)

More strange stuff from the article. "On paper, they will ask, 'Have you been threatened by other people?' And let's say you say, 'Yes.' Then it would be harder for you to get a gun, because they will know you are actually going to use that to kill someone," Polpatr says. So by this Thai " logic", if you have maniac neighbors who are waving guns at you saying they are going to kill you, and you apply for a gun permit to protect your family, you will be denied. Yet if you are a rich Thai who wants to protect his mansion, no problem for gun permit.

A few off topic posts and associated replies have been removed from view. Please keep it civil.

Per forum rules:

In using Thai Visa I agree:

1) To respect fellow members.

Expats who are interested in self defense rather than just a sport day at the range need to know what laws Thailand has about lethal force such as under what circumstances it is and isn't allowed and if there are requirements about warnings and attempts to inflict non-lethal wounds first. These laws are difficult enough to navigate in the US, and it cannot be assumed that Thailand has the same standards. It would be a tragedy to save your family from a violent home invasion only to spend the rest of your life in prison for having done so.

Instead of being happy and joyful celebrating New Years Eve, it was spent worrying if I'd get shot or hit by a stray bullet from the three occasions people were firing their guns to the sky.

Thank you Gun Control Laws, you made me feel much safer.

I notice a farang needs a work permit to get a gun; similar to how a work permit is generally needed to get a Thai bank unsecured credit card.

Seems that in Thailand a work permit makes a big difference in how trustworthy a person is considered. And yes I know the argument that a person with a work permit is less likely to leave the country quickly compared to a person on a long stay (1 year) visa/extension of stay which is generally an older, more mature person. Having a work permit seems to put a person into a different class of people in Thailand. No, I'm not whining as I'm a person on a retirement extension of stay and financially secure with pensions & savings with no plans in leaving Thailand...but if I could just get one of those work permits I could possibly move up a notch in Thai society and then get a gun and unsecured credit card.

No, I'm not whining as I'm a person on a retirement extension of stay and financially secure with pensions & savings with no plans in leaving Thailand...but if I could just get one of those work permits I could possibly move up a notch in Thai society and then get a gun and unsecured credit card.

Guess you are just gonna have to make do on the bottom rung of the ladder.

So, let me get this straight. Have the gun ownership laws for foreigners now changed? I understood from previous topics on TV that is was basically not possible for a foreigner to legally own a hand gun in Thailand.

If this has now changed, do you need a permit for each gun? If you have one, do you have to register it?

It would seem that I can qualify for a gun permit.

I have WP, yellow Tabien Baan and some assets. Oh, and a clear criminal record, of course.

RE GOV REGS.......OK, so you need to divulge your criminal record in order to purchase a gun legally in Thailand ?

That actually makes sense considering who owns and discharges guns in this country.

"Usually it will take two weeks to get your criminal record back, and another month to get the license. The criminal record is given free. It will cost six baht for the license," he says.

totster

I notice a farang needs a work permit to get a gun; similar to how a work permit is generally needed to get a Thai bank unsecured credit card.

Seems that in Thailand a work permit makes a big difference in how trustworthy a person is considered. And yes I know the argument that a person with a work permit is less likely to leave the country quickly compared to a person on a long stay (1 year) visa/extension of stay which is generally an older, more mature person. Having a work permit seems to put a person into a different class of people in Thailand. No, I'm not whining as I'm a person on a retirement extension of stay and financially secure with pensions & savings with no plans in leaving Thailand...but if I could just get one of those work permits I could possibly move up a notch in Thai society and then get a gun and unsecured credit card.

You and me both, being retired with a pension and living here for 10 years on retirement extensions is not as elite as having a work permit, go figure.

I got a permit from my amphur and the shotgun I bought did not cost much. <snip>

I got a permit from my amphur and the shotgun I bought did not cost much. I guess if I wanted to live in Pattaya I would buy a handgun what ever the cost and carry it everywhere

When did you do this? In what province do you live? We live in BKK.

I got a permit from my amphur and the shotgun I bought did not cost much. <snip>

Then please don't move here !

Expats who are interested in self defense rather than just a sport day at the range need to know what laws Thailand has about lethal force such as under what circumstances it is and isn't allowed and if there are requirements about warnings and attempts to inflict non-lethal wounds first. These laws are difficult enough to navigate in the US, and it cannot be assumed that Thailand has the same standards. It would be a tragedy to save your family from a violent home invasion only to spend the rest of your life in prison for having done so.

That is if the police were competent enough to solve a murder. I think most of the time that is well over their heads. The term detective, is almost an oxymoronic term in this country. Imagine the toy police here actually doing investigative work here? They have little or no forensic ability, and their labs compare with those in Guyana and Surinam.

Just out of curocity, is there any game hunting in Thailand, birds etc...?

Never heard about any hunters butwhat do I know?

Expats who are interested in self defense rather than just a sport day at the range need to know what laws Thailand has about lethal force such as under what circumstances it is and isn't allowed and if there are requirements about warnings and attempts to inflict non-lethal wounds first. These laws are difficult enough to navigate in the US, and it cannot be assumed that Thailand has the same standards. It would be a tragedy to save your family from a violent home invasion only to spend the rest of your life in prison for having done so.

on the opposite , better first act if you feel life-treated then at least you have chance to defend the action , if not : probably R.I.P. for yourself ant silenced for ever....

I would argue that all of those gun shops should be forbidden to feel weapons to expats and Thai people alike. Only mentally sick people need a gun, it is after all an extension of a certain organ, that is probably too short or not working. Sell weapons and you get the mess that the US and the Philippines are in, including school murders, random shootings and a new mister Breivik will emerge soon. (Lot's of nice little Islands in Thailand after all).

There is no need for a gun in the hands of non police (and even they should not all get one) or army. Anyone who comes up with the bullocks statements that guns do not kill are fooling themselves Gun owners are not blessed with too many working brain cells though

Did you bother to read post number 4 in this thread trajickingdom before spouting off your insightful post?

IMO, there is absolutely no need for guns!!! Unless of course, you are a criminal or police (same same but different ) More guns only means more stupid people using them (mostly in wrong situations!), and killing other people! I assume that most people have seen Micheal Moore's movie about the gun laws in the US...

Do I need to say more?!?

Please do not start the usual BS about "the right to protect myself"

Maybe they should change the law, so that only 'responsible' people can own guns... I am sure that not many people in Thailand (or in the world for that matter) would qualify

seems that it is the BiB doing all the shooting lately in the news

I would argue that all of those gun shops should be forbidden to feel weapons to expats and Thai people alike. Only mentally sick people need a gun, it is after all an extension of a certain organ, that is probably too short or not working. Sell weapons and you get the mess that the US and the Philippines are in, including school murders, random shootings and a new mister Breivik will emerge soon. (Lot's of nice little Islands in Thailand after all).

There is no need for a gun in the hands of non police (and even they should not all get one) or army. Anyone who comes up with the bullocks statements that guns do not kill are fooling themselves Gun owners are not blessed with too many working brain cells though

I am with you 101%. Could not agree more!!!

Just out of curocity, is there any game hunting in Thailand, birds etc...?

Never heard about any hunters butwhat do I know?

Poaching is a national sport.

Yes, the prices for most handguns are outrages even for us from socialist parts of Europe.

goooood ... and I hope they will raise them ....

wonder when we will see the first shoot out here in Phuket between Russian Gangs anyway

So, let me get this straight. Have the gun ownership laws for foreigners now changed? I understood from previous topics on TV that is was basically not possible for a foreigner to legally own a hand gun in Thailand.

If this has now changed, do you need a permit for each gun? If you have one, do you have to register it?

It would seem that I can qualify for a gun permit.

I have WP, yellow Tabien Baan and some assets. Oh, and a clear criminal record, of course.

100% Falang CAN own a firearm in Thailand. I know of several Falangs on TV (I will not mention specific names because if they want to talk about their guns, THEY should do it and not me) who DO have firearms and obtained them legally and with permission. All you need is to go to the local police to get permission first. Once they give you the permit then you go to a gun store and buy one.

Just out of curocity, is there any game hunting in Thailand, birds etc...?

Never heard about any hunters butwhat do I know?

Yes. Wild boar is a legitimate grounds to have a hunting rifle.

Just out of curocity, is there any game hunting in Thailand, birds etc...?

Never heard about any hunters butwhat do I know?

Poaching is a national sport.

Jo Dennis, Thais hunt and kill EVERYTHING what is not on the tree when they counted to three.... Check out the Isaan for example, no more birds (except chickens) no snakes (except these one in cages of the ppl sale anti snake poison) and no other animals bigger as a Gekko.....even the Tokeys they hunt down and eat them....and in Sokunakhorn even dogs.... so they do hunt here .... pretty EVERYTHING except Ants and Cockroaches.... but wait, I see cockroaches yesterday on a market...deep fried

Yes, the prices for most handguns are outrages even for us from socialist parts of Europe.

goooood ... and I hope they will raise them ....

wonder when we will see the first shoot out here in Phuket between Russian Gangs anyway

you didn't have to wait long

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/523119-new-years-eve-pub-murder-rocks-phuket/

Let's keep it civil.