Thailand’s gun shops, including those in Bangkok’s historic gun district, have been banned from importing firearms since a 2023 shooting at a Bangkok mall. The ban has forced some shops to find alternative businesses, such as baking bread.
Gun Ownership in Thailand
Thailand has the second-highest rate of private gun ownership in Asia, with an estimated 10.3 million firearms in civilian possession. Of those, 6 million are registered firearms, while 4 million are unregistered.
The industry is worth about 2 billion baht ($60.40 million), according to Thititorn Bupparamanee, president of the Firearms Traders Association of Thailand. However, the suspension of permits for buying guns may further squeeze both sellers and prospective buyers out of the market.
A recent shooting at a school outside Bangkok has prompted the government to propose a new law to suspend the issuance of new firearm purchasing permits and new gun ownership permits. The move has been met with criticism from gun shop owners, who argue that it will not fix the country’s gun violence problem.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
