BANGKOK (AP) — The Thai government on Wednesday pledged to tighten gun controls and crack down on illegal firearms after two deadly shootings near Bangkok in less than a week renewed pressure on authorities to curb gun violence.
The country has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite its fairly restrictive gun laws. The two recent shootings, both in Nonthaburi province northwest of the capital Bangkok, have intensified calls for tougher enforcement and tighter controls on firearms.
A student opened fire at his high school and family home on Friday, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life, according to police. Three days later, a former lawmaker was arrested after a shooting at a government office that killed one person and injured another.
Government spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said Wednesday that the government is working to strengthen gun regulations and crack down on illegal firearms, as well as raising awareness on the responsibilities of and limits on gun ownership.
The ultimate goal is “to find ways to remove guns from people’s daily lives as much as possible and make Thai society safer,” she said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an urgent review of gun regulations, including a suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits, according to a statement from the Government House.
He also instructed the Interior Ministry to propose amendments to Thailand's gun control laws within 60 days. The changes are expected to bolster the collection of firearms data, tighten controls on the gun trade and increase penalties for offenders.
Penalties for unlawful possession of firearms in Thailand include prison terms from 1 to 10 years and fines of up to 20,000 baht ($600). While the licensing laws are strict, critics say there are weaknesses in enforcement.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org found that Thai civilians owned about 15 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 people in neighboring Malaysia.
Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.
While mass shootings are still rare in Thailand, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile attacks in recent years.
A man carries schoolgirls outside the site of a school shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell struck out 10 batters in six innings in his return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers after being sidelined for three months with loose bodies in his left elbow.
He struck out the side on 13 pitches in the first inning for the first time as a Dodger. The Dodgers rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 10 innings, although Snell didn't figure in the decision.
“He was fantastic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I just liked the look in his eye and obviously talking about how good he feels physically. I give him a lot of credit for really attacking and not trying to be too fine.”
After striking out Nick Loftin to open the fourth, Snell gave up back-to-back singles to Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone. Witt scored on Salvador Perez's sacrifice fly, tying the game 1-1.
“Everything was free and easy,” Roberts said. “Really electric stuff.”
Snell allowed one more hit — a double to Tyler Tolbert in the fifth — before leaving the game in the sixth with the score still tied. He gave up one run and three hits and struck out 10 while walking one.
“I think the biggest thing was just being aggressive. Be in the zone, attack. I know how good my stuff is, so I didn’t want to just be nibbling and then complaining like, ‘Oh, that’s a strike,’” he said. “To strike out the side was good, but it’s just keeping the pace, keeping the velo where I need it to be, feeling strong, those things matter a lot to me. To be able to do that for six innings and feel like I had more left, I’m excited about that.”
The two-time Cy Young Award winner had made just one start this season, giving up four runs and six hits in three innings against Atlanta on May 9 before going on the injured list four days later.
“Pretty frustrating to have that as my only start and then have to rehab, go through all that, to come back,” Snell said. "Just had a lot of information from that game that helped me with this one on what I wanted to do differently and how I wanted to start. Definitely happy that I was more aggressive, more in the zone and more just in control of my emotions first one back.”
Snell is one of three Dodgers pitchers to have had surgery for loose bodies this season. Closer Edwin Díaz had right elbow surgery in April and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal had left elbow surgery in May while with the Detroit Tigers. Both are back pitching.
“That’s the Snell that we’re used to seeing and hopefully we have him for the next two, three months for the long run,” said teammate Max Muncy, who had the winning single in the 10th.
For the third consecutive season, Snell is returning from an injury in the second half. The NL West-leading Dodgers are looking for him to quickly get back on track, with the team losing eight of 10 before winning Tuesday.
“When he's going well, he's not really thinking about his mechanics and he's got a rhythm,” Roberts said before the game. “When he's not and he's searching, the game kind of comes to a standstill.”
Roberts can easily tell when Snell is in command on the mound.
“There’s a little swagger," the manager said. "There’s a little kind of standing a little taller.”
Snell made three rehab starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City and another for Single-A Ontario, going 0-0 with a 3.09 ERA. He struck out 19 batters for a 14.7 strikeout-per-inning rate.
“Coming back from rehab and to kind of feel your way into the middle of a season is really difficult,” Roberts said.
The 33-year-old left-hander had a 2.35 ERA last season, his first with Los Angeles after signing a $182 million, five-year deal. He helped the Dodgers win a second straight World Series championship, with three wins and a 3.18 ERA in six postseason games, including eight scoreless innings in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
In other moves Tuesday, the team transferred reliever Blake Treinen to the 60-day IL. The 38-year-old right-hander has been out since June 20 while recovering from elbow inflammation. Roberts said he has not experienced a setback.
Left-hander Charlie Barnes was sent down a day after he was added, but didn't appear in the series opener against the Royals. Barnes went 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in four appearances for the Dodgers.
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, May 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman, File)
