Prevalent tragedies of gun violence: the debate on gun ownership in Thailand
Devastating shooting at a popular mall in Bangkok. Via CNN.
On Wednesday, October 3rd,, a 14-year-old perpetrated a deadly shooting, killing two people along with injuries and infrastructural damage at a popular mall in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. Yet, this tragedy was unsurprising among citizens: this incident marks the third shooting spree in four years. The debate on gun ownership sparked as soon as the killing happened. Now, no longer seeming reasonable, some officials and even citizens are arguing for the end of gun ownership in Thailand. As this is something not very common in Asia, we ask: why does this problem occur so easily?
Although it cannot compete with that of the United States, Thailand’s gun ownership and gun homicide rates are higher than in any other country in Asia. These high rates have sparked concerns in Thailand, and whether or not to persist in gun ownership has been debated. Furthermore, the weak enforcement of the country is what makes the government and the public advocate for a long term solution regarding this epidemic of gun violence. Out of the 7.2 million privately owned firearms in Thailand, only 6 million of them are registered, leaving the validation of the rest unknown. Just as expected, the gun that the 14-year-old used during the Wednesday shooting spree turned out to be a blank–or unregistered–gun. These guns typically do not require licenses and create a loophole in Thai law. With the existence of blank guns, it is easy to access guns in Thailand, and therefore there is a high chance that the teenagers who are influenced by social media will perpetrate a shooting—definitely unsurprising.
Yet this exploitation of blank guns does not seem like it is entirely the citizens fault. In Thailand, government officials or law enforcement officers can typically purchase as many guns as they wish and even receive discounts to encourage more purchases.The prodigious amount of guns circulating the country eventually creates a black market of firearms, where people who do not own permits can still purchase and exchange firearms. The circulation of firearms in the black market has also incited a smuggling trade between Myanmar, further exacerbating the issue. This lack of enforcement has called into question whether to continue gun ownership in Thailand, and the Wednesday shooting also, Gp Capt. Anudit Nakornthap, deputy leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party “called into question the enforcement of the firearms control law, which may need amending.” No matter how strict the gun laws are in Thailand, they seem to be futile without the proper enforcement that needs to enforce these laws.
Gun violence can also have a massive impact on the tourism industry of the country. In the United States, for example, tourists are constantly warned of gun violence, and they are advised not to go near locations where gun violence is prevalent. After the attacks that happened in Ohio, Dayton and El Paso in 2019, “The balance of power has however shifted with foreign nations warning their citizens to avoid travelling to the United States”: countries such as Venezuela, Uruguay, and Japan warned their travelers to avoid travelling to the U.S. The fear of guns can also have prospective economic effects on the country. Many countries are discouraging their citizens from spectating the 2026 FIFA world cup in Los Angeles, which results in tremendous economic loss if not enough people spectate. Of course, it is true that the degree of severity in Thailand is not equivalent to that of the United States, without further enforcement and effort to fight against gun violence, it is conceivable that Thailand will face a similar degree of impact in the long run. Taking into consideration that one of the victims killed was a 34-year-old Chinese tourist Jinnan Zhou, and that there were also 2 tourists hospitalized, discouragement of travelling to Thailand can foment and have an enduring impact. Especially considering the fact that China makes up the majority of tourism in Thailand, a bad label of the country can seriously wreck the economy. The fact that the shooting happened at a mall not only drives tourists away but also drives the local citizens away from commerce, further damaging the economy of Thailand as well.
Ringing sounds of anguish are what citizens of Thailand heard Wednesday afternoon, giving them shivers down their spine, scared to go out in their own proud nation. Ringing sounds of screams are what the tourist heard Wednesday afternoon, signifying an end to tourism in Thailand. Ringing sounds of manipulation is what the officials heard Wednesday afternoon, meeting the consequence of their illegal trading right in front of their eyes. Ringing sounds of regression are what the government heard Wednesday afternoon, alerting them of the crippling economy they are about to suffer from.