Violent crime is on the rise in Bangkok as troublemakers, and particularly teenagers, are increasingly reaching for guns during brawls and in drug-related incidents. The shooting spree on the streets of Rama III Road on Jan 20 that resulted in the death of five people was the latest outbreak of gun crime, prompting police to consider tightening firearms controls nationwide. A group of five young men, including an 18-year-old, allegedly shot at a pickup truck following a late-night pub brawl. The men opened fired as they chased their victims along the streets. The driver of the pickup lost control of the vehicle and it crashed, killing five people. The five suspects were arrested last week. In another gun-related incident, drug suspect Somchai Phachit, 33, traded shots with police as he sought to escape by climbing up to the roof of a house in Rattanathibet housing estate in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district on Jan 21. The man was shot dead. Police said Somchai had earlier gunned down beverage vendor Wimon Ketlek, 54, in the Pradiphat area because he wanted to steal her motorcycle. He needed the motorcycle to flee a police raid on an apartment in which he was taking drugs, in the Ruam Mit 5 community in Pradiphat Soi 5, police said. A rise in teenage drug addiction is the main factor behind the tendency for offenders use to guns as a way to end conflicts, Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangpraphai, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said. He estimated 80% of gun-related crimes are "related in some way to drugs". With drugs such as methamphetamine pills so valuable in terms of street price, many people involved in the trade carry guns to protect themselves from rival gang members or the police, Pol Maj Gen Wichai said. This means police attempting to apprehend drug suspects are often met with violent responses. And with penalties for drug crimes having increased in severity in recent years, suspects are keener to open fire at police in a bid to evade capture by the law. Pol Maj Gen Wichai said it is now easier than ever to buy guns, both in Bangkok and upcountry. Customers are offered both Thai-made guns or those under familiar trade names. Illegal brand-name firearms are increasingly popular because they are cheaper, especially along the Thai-Cambodian border, and their prices are about 50% cheaper than those sold legally, Pol Maj Gen Wichai said. He said one way to curb the violence is to exert tighter controls on gun sales. In his view, police should have the final say on granting permission for gun ownership and usage. He believes police can better control gun usage because they have a database of criminal records, which can help them decide whether to allow people to possess guns. Pol Maj Gen Wichai added that officers are monitoring some private companies which are suspected of importing guns for sale to state officers. However, stopping the violent behaviour of young people needs more than a clampdown on illegal guns and drugs, said Suriyadel Tripathi, director of Mahidol University's National Institute for Child and Family Development. Teenagers' aggressiveness can be reduced if they take part in activities that encourage them to act considerately towards others, he said. Sending them to help elderly or underprivileged people and long-term hospital patients can help tone down their aggression, he said. Mr Suriyadel hoped they would enjoy seeing the value in themselves when they help others.
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