BANGKOK — A 17-year-old Thai student shot dead a friend with a pistol and wounded five classmates at a school in southern Thailand on Friday, minutes after they lined up in the morning to sing the national anthem. Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat province told Reuters that they arrested Anucha Boonkwan, who witnesses said fired a 9-mm pistol at classmates after learning that school officials were searching students for firearms. Teachers said the student, who stole the... (GunPolicy.org)

PHUKET, Thailand — Nineteen people were arrested in Phuket for illegal possession of firearms from May 1 to May 25, according to statistics from the Provincial Police, released soon after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra launched a nationwide crackdown on organized crime on May 20. However, the figures for May revealed a similar number of drug-related raids and arrests as in the same period last year, despite the continuation of the anti-drugs campaign that began in... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — A police captain was shot dead by a fellow officer on a highway in a case of road rage, police said. The gunfight between Captain Samchai Rungsuwan and Colonel Wichai Sangpraphai occurred on Thursday morning, Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Major-General Jakthip Kunchornna Ayudhaya said. Captain Samchai was killed after being shot thrice. Wichai, who surrendered and was charged with murder, told investigators that he was heading home after... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — Japanese tourists have discovered that Thai holidays can be about more than just cheap shopping and snoozing on tropical beaches with shooting guns at Thai military ranges becoming the latest fad. "There are so many Japanese tourists coming to Bangkok — if they want to do some shooting and some sightseeing, then that's the Thai military's business," said Akiro Shimura, a former colonel in Japan's Self-Defence Forces who runs a company offering trips to... (GunPolicy.org)

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian and Thai police have agreed to step up co-operation to curb drug smuggling from two Thai provinces into Malaysia, the national Bernama news agency reported yesterday. The districts of Satun and Narathiwat in southern Thailand are major suppliers of cannabis being smuggled by sea to the northern Malaysian island resort of Penang, Mohammed Sedek Mohammed Ali, a senior Malaysian police official, was cited by Bernama as saying. Mr Mohammed Sedek... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — Economic recovery and a reluctance to rely on traditional suppliers is breathing new life into Southeast Asia's flagging small arms industry, according to a new report. Malaysia's decision last month to reopen the arms production operation of state-run Syarikat Malaysian Explosive (SME) marked the start of a trend toward boosting defence capabilities and autonomy in determining national security affairs. The future of Southeast Asia's mainly loss-making... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — A Buddhist monk was arrested Wednesday after storming Thailand's parliament with an AK-47 assault rifle, taking about 30 people hostage and demanding to speak with the prime minister. The monk, wearing a traditional saffron robe, was captured by three plainclothes police posing as reporters. They took the gun and handcuffed him after a one-hour standoff, during which he fired into the air once. No one was injured. The monk identified himself as Sayan... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — As Thailand prepares to host talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels next month, analysts say its own role as a global arms smuggling hub is fuelling instability in the region. Thailand is refusing to acknowledge a growing nexus between criminal gangs and militant groups and risks becoming the destination of choice for Asia's hounded extremists, say analysts and intelligence officials. Thai police last month uncovered an arms cache... (GunPolicy.org)

Police have been banned from using water guns to shoot at passers-by during the Songkran celebrations. Police chief Sant Sarutanont was concerned they might get confused and use their real firearms by mistake, spokesman Pol Gen Pongsapas Pongcharoen said. So carrying water guns is deemed inappropriate, and especially those who are on duty, he said. If they wanted to join in the fun police would have to use the traditional bowl of water. A junior police officer said... (GunPolicy.org)

Cabinet yesterday approved a draft bill banning guns in specific tourist zones to ensure the safety of visitors. The zones are Pattaya City in Chon Buri, the municipality of Chiang Mai, the entire Phuket province, the municipality of Hat Yai in Songkhla and Samui district of Surat Thani. Under the draft bill, anyone carrying a firearm in these areas would be liable to six months to 10 years' jail and/or a fine of 10,000 to 200,000 baht, even if they have a licence for... (GunPolicy.org)

Fewer customers are browsing the displays and there are fewer new faces for the shopkeepers to study. But while the economic crisis has taken its toll here as well, the 60 or more gun shops clustered near Wang Burapha have for the most part remained unchanged. For at least 50 years, this small section of Bangkok has been the heart of the country's licensed gun trade. Like other industries, strict import and sales restrictions have largely protected gun dealers from... (GunPolicy.org)

The 60 handguns hijacked by armed men from a warehouse at Don Muang airport on Thursday were intended for gun shops in Hat Yai, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday. They were imported by gun-runners-a conspiracy between soldiers, civilians and gun dealers, a senior police officer said. Mr Thaksin did not name the shops involved, or offer any other details. He had authorised Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-Gen Anant Piromkaew to arrest the suspects, who were... (GunPolicy.org)

Thai syndicates with corrupt military links, some using new sea routes out of Cambodia, are at the centre of a growing arms smuggling trade, according to diplomats and senior officials. Intelligence sources say operations dominated by ethnic Chinese in Thailand are increasingly using contacts in southern China and Vietnam, as well as Cambodia, to buy and market weapons. One senior Thai military officer estimates about 80per cent of the arms being smuggled out of... (GunPolicy.org)

BANGKOK — An assistant to the village headman in a northern Thai town went on a shooting spree and killed four of his neighbours before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide, police said on Monday. Prathuang Ruankaew, 37, was thought to have suffered a nervous breakdown a few days before the shooting on Sunday in Baan Kwang village about 600 km (360 miles) north of Bangkok, police said. They said his parents told police that Prathuang, who was an... (GunPolicy.org)