PM Rejects Teachers Carrying Firearms After School Shooting

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Aug. 8 rejected proposals to allow teachers to carry firearms following a deadly school shooting by a 14-year-old male student that resulted in seven fatalities, including himself. The perpetrator had also shot dead his grandparents prior to the school rampage. Anutin bluntly pointed out that it is unnecessary to raise this issue because teachers are not law enforcement officers authorized to carry firearms. "Such a proposal shouldn’t even have been made," he said. Those not involved with this case were also urged not to jump to a conclusion that the student shot teachers because of bullying, with five of the deceased teachers having taught at Debsinin Nonthaburi School. Parents were also warned to keep guns out of children’s reach. Over 20 others were also injured in this rampage. Anutin added that he had discussed enacting stricter gun control laws with Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilapraphan while reiterating the importance of setting up checkpoints to prevent carrying firearms in public places without official duty to do so. Regarding the use of shooting ranges, the Department of Provincial Administration already has regulations controlling them. Ammunition stored at these ranges must be purchased from the range itself. If regulations are followed correctly, practicing or training shooting skills is not a problem, but firearms should not be taken outside the home or into public places, he said.