PM vows tighter gun laws after yesterday’s school shooting

Speaking to foreign media, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has claimed that the driving force behind a school shooting involving a 14-year-old gunman was accumulated stress, rather than criminal intent, while outlining plans for stricter gun control laws and heightened campus security.

Anutin stated that multiple underlying factors contributed to the youth's actions, with prolonged stress being a primary trigger.

When asked why existing restrictions on public firearm possession failed to prevent the tragedy, the Prime Minister noted that carrying weapons in public is already illegal under Thai law and urged the public to await the final findings of the police investigation.

Recalling his tenure as Interior Minister, Anutin highlighted his previous initiatives to tighten regulations on firearm ownership and restrict public carry permits and reaffirmed his commitment as Prime Minister to introducing a comprehensive new and tighter gun control bill, which is currently being drafted.

He emphasised that the perpetrator was not a hardened criminal, but a minor suffering from long-term emotional pressure.

He noted that the firearm used was legally registered and stored inside the family home, enabling the boy to get access to it, rather than a weapon regularly carried in public spaces.

To restore parental confidence, Anutin called for elevated safety and screening protocols across educational institutions to prevent weapons from being brought onto campus.

He cautioned, however, against overly disruptive measures, stating that passing every student through X-ray machines or metal detectors prior to entering school would be impractical and inappropriate.

Anutin stated that the carrying of weapons in public by ordinary citizens will not be permitted.

He added that youth-involved violence necessitates a closer look at youth mental health, noting that such incidents are often driven by sudden emotional impulses triggered by immediate stressors, rather than chronic psychological disorders.