Easy guns bring Wild West mentality

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Easy guns bring Wild West mentality

With firearm crime on the rise and the amount of illegal locally produced and smuggled weapons growing, there are concerns that a programme giving officials discounts in the name of self-protection is worsening the situation

Published: 18 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: Spectrum

In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic accidents, and quickly escalate. Law enforcement officials say the root cause is the easy availability of guns, and this is true for teenagers as well as adults. People prefer to buy weapons outside of legal channels because they are much cheaper, and don't involve the hassle of registering the guns as required under Thai law.

UP IN ARMS: A licensed gun shop in the Wang Burapha area. Critics say gun shops aligned with a state scheme to give discounts to officials are contributing to the flood of guns in the country.

The issuance of gun permits is linked to house registration. For criminals there is the added bonus that guns bought on the black market can't be traced back to them. Some illegal firearms are cheaply produced locally by fly-by-night manufacturers, but most are foreign-made, either smuggled in, stolen or resold without registration (see box, Page 5).

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pointoffew
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Discussion 15 : 18 Nov 2012 at 11.1715
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@ twodogs, discussions 7 & 8, Your outrageous claim that “In cities where there is the most gun control, is also the most gun crime. “ is based on WHAT?! And "With over 5000 dead in the south of Thailand and numerous killings throughout the country it is obvious that the police can not be everywhere all the time. People have the right to protect themselves.” You clearly are not aware that the government has handed out guns to government officials like candy – which has surely added to the insecurity, violence and casualties.
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Eric
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Discussion 14 : 18 Nov 2012 at 11.1014
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Illegal gun control can be controlled with strict law and agreesive implementation. The law must have the severity to deter such as capital punishment as in Singapore. In Singapore,any person caught with illegal firearm face a possible death penalty. It's harsh but the results are well worth it. Again law must be strengthened to made legal license holder of firearm responsible for the chain of custody.
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samut
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Discussion 13 : 18 Nov 2012 at 10.5813
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The root of the cause is ignorance of laws, lax law enforcement, little or no penalties and above all a society who leans towards violence.
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barryw
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Discussion 12 : 18 Nov 2012 at 09.4112
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In one province alone, more than 200 guns were 'lost'. Let's guess whether those who 'lost' them suffered any penalty. Let's guess if they were freely allowed to buy another to 'lose'. Farcical. And, as usual in Thailand, corruption is present and officials are buying far more guns than they need, so they can be 're-distributed'.
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tamsin
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Discussion 11 : 18 Nov 2012 at 09.3011
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Quote "However, he said this isn't wise from October to December because the police are more likely to search vehicles during that period to boost their arrest numbers."

Oh yes? What's happened about the order for the 50,000 outstanding arrest warrants to be enforced?
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jacksprat
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Discussion 10 : 18 Nov 2012 at 08.3910
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Maybe Bangkok should designate certain areas as free fire zones. Those wishing to engage in gunfights could go there and leave the rest of us alone.
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sibley
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Discussion 9 : 18 Nov 2012 at 08.389
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Thailand is the wild west and it isn't going to get any better, regardless of what the TAT says tourists have stopped coming to Thailand, why because it is a very violent place to fetch your family
The Thais can not see past their noses, crime on tourists is not reported in the papers in Thailand to make people think there is none, but it is reported all over the European papers, American papers, murders, rapes, scams, Thailand needs to do some thing about the problem of violence and fast before it is to late to stop the rot.
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twodogs
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Discussion 8 : 18 Nov 2012 at 08.238
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In cities where there is the most gun control, is also the most gun crime. Criminals will always find a way to find a gun. The honest citizen will obey the law and not commit a crime. Regulation only applies to honest citizens, criminals don't obey the law, that is why they are called criminals. Regulations just make it more difficult for the honest citizens to protect themselves.
Where I live, there is very little gun crime. Here are the numbers. There is an average of 5 guns per household. We have the right to carry. Even my 85 year old mother carries a 357. Still there is very little gun crime.....Why?
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twodogs
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Discussion 7 : 18 Nov 2012 at 08.177
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To promote the purchase of guns for self-protection reflects the state's failure to protect its citizens,'' said the chairman. He added that it is the duty of the state to provide adequate weapons to security forces whose job it is to protect the people, natural resources and the country.

With over 5000 dead in the south of Thailand and numerous killings throughout the country it is obvious that the police can not be everywhere all the time. People have the right to protect themselves.
This is a never ending subject in the US. One side says "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns".
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nicholas
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Discussion 6 : 18 Nov 2012 at 06.466
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It is a sad country that has to legislate thet their Government officals can not only purchase guns cheaply but nedd them. I understand the police and Army having guns, but I see many Police off duty in Unifrom carrying guns as part of their normal daily life. This will lead to dangerous practices.
if the Government is honest, un-corrupt and just, then guns wouold probabl;y not be needed.
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