Thailand has suspended the issuance of firearms permits and will review existing permits, following the armed attack in which a teenager killed nine people.

The Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced on Tuesday the suspension of the issuance of permits for the purchase of firearms, in response to a tragic incident in which a 14-year-old teenager killed nine people, including six children, using a pistol. Following this attack, Anutin delegated an assistant to draft a new law for gun control, which will include stricter measures and harsher penalties.

Additionally, the police have been instructed not to renew existing gun permits. The Prime Minister reminded that registered firearms must be kept at home and cannot be carried in public. The incident, which occurred on the outskirts of the capital Bangkok, is considered the worst gun attack in Thailand in nearly four years.

Furthermore, the Minister of Education proposed additional safety measures in schools, including checks to verify whether individuals entering educational institutions are carrying weapons or illegal items. Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the region, with approximately 10.3 million firearms in circulation.