How strict are gun laws in Thailand?
Licensed / moderate
Handguns are obtainable for sport or hunting, but self-defense alone is not sufficient for a license.
Thailand is one of 37 countries classified “Licensed / moderate” for civilian gun ownership — 18% of the 202 with data. (Also searched as firearm laws.)
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Cambodia
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- Laos
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Vietnam
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- Myanmar
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Singapore
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Bangladesh
- Restrictive Handguns are limited to one and require justification, fitting the may-issue or restricted discretion category.
Other laws in Thailand
- Death Penalty
- Retained / in use
- Military Conscription
- Selective / de jure only
Every law in Thailand → · How strict are gun laws around the world? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.