Thailand will toughen its gun possession and drug legal guidelines, the inside ministry mentioned Wednesday, following the nursery bloodbath of 36 individuals — together with 24 kids — within the kingdom’s worst mass killing.
The nation was left reeling after an ex-police officer compelled his manner right into a small nursery in northeastern Na Klang final week, murdering 24 kids and their trainer earlier than killing his spouse, their little one and himself.
The attack was carried out with a knife and a legally acquired gun, and whereas Thailand has an enormous variety of firearms in circulation — one estimate suggesting there are as many as one in seven firearms per particular person — mass shootings are uncommon.
Interior minister Anupong Paojinda mentioned Wednesday the federal government would require tougher {qualifications} for brand spanking new gun house owners, in addition to ramping up checks on current firearm holders.
“Our new qualification will include mental health reports, we will be examining whether we need proof from doctors,” he instructed a press convention, with out giving additional particulars.
Gun candidates are already required to endure a background test and should current a legitimate motive for possession — resembling searching or self-defence.
“For example, if officials want to possess a gun, their supervisors have to ratify that that individual has no record of alcohol abuse or bad temper,” Anupong mentioned.
Village leaders or native officers will play a task in granting the tougher gun licenses, he mentioned.
Currently, gun house owners do not need to reapply for licenses in the course of the lifetime of a firearm.
But now authorised gun holders should endure a assessment each three to 5 years, Anupong mentioned.
“Because as time changes, people change,” he defined.
Parliament may also focus on an exemption penalty for unlawful gun holders, Anupong mentioned, including that people will have the ability to hand unauthorised firearms to authorities with out going through prosecution– although he didn’t point out after they should accomplish that by.
Those who nonetheless possess unlawful weapons will face harsh penalties, he mentioned.
Anupong added that his ministry would work with police and the well being division to extend drug screening and consciousness, in addition to encouraging addicts into rehabilitation.
“If everyone in town knows that drugs exist but local authorities don’t, they will be transferred,” he mentioned.
The nursery attacker, 34-year-old sacked police sergeant Panya Khamrab, was dismissed from his put up earlier this 12 months on a medicine cost, with locals saying they suspected he was a methamphetamine addict.
However, preliminary assessments discovered he didn’t have any medicine in his system on the time of the assault.