It’s crackdown season!
Indeed, the Royal Thai Police say that they will begin a more serious effort to fight gun violence in May, with a special focus on dek waen motorcycle gangs and recently released convicts.
Deputy National Police spokesperson Anucha Romyanan said on Tuesday that official statistics related to criminal cases, which have taken place in the past 12 months, showed a disturbing surge in the use of both registered and illegal guns.
Mr. Anucha stated that a total of 47,630 guns have been confiscated from all reported cases, while more are believed to remain hidden and may be used in future offenses, NNT reported.
As a result, the National Police Department is set to step up its clampdown on gun and arms possession from May onwards, said the deputy spokesperson.
He went on to say that the police will be specifically paying attention to teenage motorcycle street racers, or dek waen, who are prone to commit crimes, as well as released convicts and loan sharks.
Mr. Anucha believes that such data will enable the police to conduct an analysis and perform more effective clampdowns.
He added that, as part of a more stringent campaign, the police will also prosecute the parents of those who face charges related to guns.
Photo: Royal Thai Police at a press conference in February 2013, by Zanyasan Tanantpapat.
