Thai authorities arrested four individuals on Thursday, who have been linked to a mass shooting at a mall in Bangkok that resulted in two deaths and injured five. The suspects are reportedly involved in the illegal modification and sale of guns, which ended up in the possession of a 14-year-old boy who later opened fire at Siam Paragon Mall, a top shopping center, on Tuesday.
The bulk of these suspects were apprehended by police based in Yala Province, with two being taken into custody from there. During this operation, the police confiscated 209 rounds of blank gun ammunition, 33 cut steel pipe pieces, and two Krungthai bank account books. Police reports also detail the arrest of a third party, from whom two blank guns were seized.
The fourth individual was arrested in Bangkok at his residence, which was discovered to also function as a workshop for modifying firearms. The man now faces charges of possessing and manufacturing illegal weaponry.
In the aftermath of this incident, Thailand’s Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has highlighted the government’s commitment to bolstering gun control policies. These include implementing immediate actions like halting the issuance of permits for importing and trading firearms. Alongside these short-term measures, Charnvirakul also revealed plans to reassess and revise the country’s current gun control legislation to ensure a greater level of public safety.