Thai PM Anutin stopped at Buriram checkpoint for gun, drug search

On 16 August 2026, administrative officials and police collaborated to establish stringent checkpoints in Ban Dan Subdistrict, Buriram province, in an effort to identify firearms and drugs. This operation is part of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's strategy to curb firearms and curb their dissemination across society. Upon arriving for official duties, Anutin found himself subjected to a routine search, just like any other citizen.

The prime minister inquired, "Did you find anything?" An officer responded, "No, sir," before Anutin clarified, "Understood. Are you referring to the checkpoints around here?" The officer affirmed, "Indeed, we only discovered drugs, sir."

The intensified crackdown on firearms follows a string of alarming violent incidents plaguing Thai society. These include a shooting at a school allegedly perpetrated by a 14-year-old, a case where a prominent politician's son allegedly assaulted a classmate with a firearm, and the shooting of former Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization president Pol Col Thongchai Yenprasert, allegedly orchestrated by former politician Chalong Riawreng.

The government seeks to address the root of the problem and prevent firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who could contribute to further violence. Recently, Prime Minister Anutin issued a moratorium on firearm purchase permits (Por.3) and firearm possession permits (Por.4) until the Cabinet makes a decision. He also directed the Department of Provincial Administration to cease the practice of awarding firearms as rewards to subdistrict and village headmen. These actions are fundamentally aimed at safeguarding the lives and property of the public.