Forming Partnership Networks for Firearm Violence Reduction in Thai Society

Abstract

This study aimed at building the networks responsible for raising the campaign for reducing violence related to firearms as well as proposing the guidelines in improving and correcting “Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation Weapons Act B.E.2490 (1947)”to make it appropriate for Thai society at present. This research also used in-depth interview and activity setting to result in building the networks responsible for reducing violence from firearms. It was found that the legal issues that need to be amendment in classification of firearms people can legally possess, penalty or punishment, fees, rules/procedures in issuing firearms license, and the approaches/ firearms-storing places with safety. As for network building, two pilot networks were created, namely the Nakhon Ratchasima province network and the Chumphon province network. Building these networks depend on setting activity organization as exchanging knowledge via seminar, using games responsible for strengthening relationship among any involved networks, in line with utilizing knowledge tests and the proposal of group ideas towards how to build the networks in reducing violence related to any forms of firearms that can lead to sustainable success.