Homemade Gun Control And Management: Source Of Problem And Solution

Abstract

This research aimed to study legal problems of gun control according to the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act, B.E. 2490, and to study problems of control of possession, use, and sale of homemade gun in order to suggest guidelines to effectively control possession, use and sale. This qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with 31 key informants including police officers, government officers under the Ministry of Interior, and people who possess guns. The research revealed that homemade gun is unable to apply for registration due to legal issues of gun control. Furthermore, the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act, B.E. 2490 (1947) was vague and its penalties were inappropriate and inconsistent with the current situation. In addition, globalization also contributed to the proliferation of homemade gun. The effective solution for gun control was to bring unregistered guns such as homemade gun into the legal system and to improve provisions and penalties under the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms Act, B.E. 2490 (1947) to be appropriate.