Thailand has suspended the issuance of new firearms licenses following a deadly shooting at a school in Nonthaburi, where a 14-year-old boy killed his grandparents before opening fire at the school he attended.
According to Reuters, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Interior Ministry and police to temporarily halt the issuance of new permits to purchase firearms and to review existing licenses.
The prime minister also called for “stricter controls and decisive punitive measures,” with the temporary restrictions expected to remain in place until new firearms-control legislation comes into force.
The shooting took place in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok. According to reports, the teenager first killed his grandparents, who had raised him at their home, before going to school and opening fire. He later died by suicide.
The total death toll from the attack has risen to nine.
The bodies of the victims, including the teenager and his grandparents, have since been cremated following funeral ceremonies.
The government’s decision comes after Anutin pledged to strengthen Thailand’s firearms regulations in response to the attack, which has shocked the country.
The new measures are expected to focus on tighter controls over firearms ownership and greater scrutiny of existing licenses as authorities seek to prevent similar incidents in the future.
