Legalities Of Owning (Using) An Air-Gun In Thailand

[Khun Jean]

• The gun can’t be used to commit a crime or torture animals.

So killing an animal is allowed, or is that seen as a crime?

[robsamui]

Being spring loaded, is it a fire arm though?

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

Sorry - wrong. Forget whatever you've been taught elsewhere - TIT. In Thailand, by law, ANYthing that shoots a projectile by means of any sort of compressed gas is classified as a firearm and needs a firearm permit. Doesn't matter if it is CO2 or airsoft gas, or a spring pistol that compresses the air inside. It's legally classified as a firearm.

In practice this law is largely overlooked by the police, many of who are enthusiastic skirmishers themselves and own airsoft guns. But in reality it all depends on what the context is. If the police came to your house because you'd been burgled and saw your airsoft pistol they probably wouldn't give it more than an interested glance. But take the same pistol out and about on the streets or start popping off at your neighbour's dogs and you'll be in trouble.

R

[Shot]

Being spring loaded, is it a fire arm though?

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

Sorry - wrong. Forget whatever you've been taught elsewhere - TIT. In Thailand, by law, ANYthing that shoots a projectile by means of any sort of compressed gas is classified as a firearm and needs a firearm permit. Doesn't matter if it is CO2 or airsoft gas, or a spring pistol that compresses the air inside. It's legally classified as a firearm.

In practice this law is largely overlooked by the police, many of who are enthusiastic skirmishers themselves and own airsoft guns. But in reality it all depends on what the context is. If the police came to your house because you'd been burgled and saw your airsoft pistol they probably wouldn't give it more than an interested glance. But take the same pistol out and about on the streets or start popping off at your neighbour's dogs and you'll be in trouble.

R

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

[MikeENZ]

If its spring powered it isn't an "airgun" though due to weird ass japanese language translation they are commonly known as airsoft guns... because they fire the same BBs as airsoft guns.

I've got a paintball marker, have never had any problems, no idea if its legal for a foreigner on tourist visa to own one.. but I do, and plan to be crossing the border with it in November for a tournament, so that should be.. ahem interesting.

[apetley]

A Thai neighbour of ours recently got a small fine, 1500 bht I think, and a six month suspended jail term for possession of an unlicenced air rifle.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[nietzche]

If you do a search for air guns, I'm sure the subject has been covered extensively. A slingshot, available everywhere in Thailand, would do the same job.

I agree. I spent a few day's at a temple in Bangkok some years ago. The monk's seemed to fare well with a slingshot.

I'd advise against carrying anything that even resembles a real firearm.

[Shot]

Being spring loaded, is it a fire arm though?

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

Sorry - wrong. Forget whatever you've been taught elsewhere - TIT. In Thailand, by law, ANYthing that shoots a projectile by means of any sort of compressed gas is classified as a firearm and needs a firearm permit. Doesn't matter if it is CO2 or airsoft gas, or a spring pistol that compresses the air inside. It's legally classified as a firearm.

In practice this law is largely overlooked by the police, many of who are enthusiastic skirmishers themselves and own airsoft guns. But in reality it all depends on what the context is. If the police came to your house because you'd been burgled and saw your airsoft pistol they probably wouldn't give it more than an interested glance. But take the same pistol out and about on the streets or start popping off at your neighbour's dogs and you'll be in trouble.

R

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

[Shot]

Being spring loaded, is it a fire arm though?

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

Sorry - wrong. Forget whatever you've been taught elsewhere - TIT. In Thailand, by law, ANYthing that shoots a projectile by means of any sort of compressed gas is classified as a firearm and needs a firearm permit. Doesn't matter if it is CO2 or airsoft gas, or a spring pistol that compresses the air inside. It's legally classified as a firearm.

In practice this law is largely overlooked by the police, many of who are enthusiastic skirmishers themselves and own airsoft guns. But in reality it all depends on what the context is. If the police came to your house because you'd been burgled and saw your airsoft pistol they probably wouldn't give it more than an interested glance. But take the same pistol out and about on the streets or start popping off at your neighbour's dogs and you'll be in trouble.

R

Technically, it is not a firearm, because there is no explosion. However, the BIB can call it what they want. The plastic BB’s or Airsoft are not very accurate past a few meters IMHO. For soi dogs I will agree that a slingshot might be best. Not nearly as much fun, but best.

[NeverSure]

I have to chuckle when in other threads people talk about the "freedoms" they have in LOS as opposed to their home countries.

I wander how many of their home countries allow packs of wild dogs to roam free, or how many would be committing a crime by running them off, or in any way would have to put up with this BS.

I won't post what I would do if wild dogs were on my property. Of course my neighbors' friendly dogs, well trained and loved and under control are welcome. But dangerous packs of dogs? Phhttt.

[seajae]

After reading about the german who stabbed a dog to death - 17 knife wounds - I'd recommend learning to ignore the dogs.

Any farang with any gun in Thailand is asking for trouble no matter what the actual circumstances or law may be.

Wave a stick, shout or throw stones at your peril as some Thai will take objection to your actions [ Temple dogs? Are you serious?] and then your life will not be your own.

Think about it.

Carefully.

Totally. You should just let stray dogs come freely onto your property and maul your children at any opportunity because, goodness forbid, you may offend some locals by trying to defend yourself or your family against a feral animal.

Great comment. Please report back here once you or one of your children has been attacked by a wild dog while you stood quietly by trying to appease your local neighbours. Let us know how you feel after that.

mate, we have a neighbour that has a dog that attacks everyone going past his house when he leaves the gate open. He got terribly upset when I bashed it with a big stick when it tried to bite me while I was riding past on the scooter(carry the stick just for that purpose) and tried to complain so I explained that if it attacked my wife, daughter, mother or myself again I would kill it without hesitation as well as make him pay any restitution it suddenly disapeared. Unfortunately thais do not like to take responsibility for what they, their family or pets do but if you threaten financial restitution for any damage they do they soon do something about it. Bastard would open his gate then watch the dog attack people and smile, a couple of good whacks and bit of blood took it off his face though.

[Morden]

The licence for an air rifle is THB200. I don't know whether that applies also to air pistols or whether there is any distinction made between the various types of air rifle.

The best way to be sure is to send the misses to the Amphur to ask.

[KunMatt]

I have to chuckle when in other threads people talk about the "freedoms" they have in LOS as opposed to their home countries.

I wander how many of their home countries allow packs of wild dogs to roam free, or how many would be committing a crime by running them off, or in any way would have to put up with this BS.

I won't post what I would do if wild dogs were on my property. Of course my neighbors' friendly dogs, well trained and loved and under control are welcome. But dangerous packs of dogs? Phhttt.

There is this strange duality of Thaivisa members who one hand present themselves as hard, well connected, perfect, life winning heroes who know exactly what to do in every situation better than anyone else who posts anything, and then on the other hand (like poster "antpet" in this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/599216-legalities-of-owning-using-an-air-gun-in-thailand/#entry5863480) won't even shout at a stray dog if it is attacking his family out of fear he might "offend any locals".

It just goes to show how full of crap most people are on this forum as I always read these stories boasting about how hard everyone is, and then when I go out nearly everyone I see is a frail 70 year old limping man. There's a lot of compensating going on on this forum I believe and I take it all with a hand full of salt. I reckon there are far more antpets in this country than the self imagined real life Rambos,