Bangkok:  After a 15-hour standoff, Thai police shot and killed the gunman, who had killed three people and injured three others. Around 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Wednesday, the shooter opened fire in Phetchaburi, a city located about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Bangkok, before police surrounded the home he was in.

The gunman, who has not been identified but was described by local media as a 29-year-old former national park official, was killed by armed police who stormed the building early on Thursday. He continued to fight back and shoot others as we moved forward step by step, said Police Lt. Gen. Thanawut Wutijarasthamrong.

He sprinted to his room (on the second floor). My men would have been shot if we hadn't had shields. Police believe the man had additional weapons despite finding a Glock pistol and two magazines at the scene.

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In the past year, there have been a number of violent incidents in Thailand with a high rate of gun ownership. One of the deadliest attacks in recent memory killed 36 people, including 24 children, in the northeastern Nong Bua Lam Phu province.

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Gun Laws In Thailand 

• Thailand has very strict gun laws. Although illegal gun possession is punishable by a 10-year prison term and a fine of up to 20,000 Baht ($536), Thailand has a higher rate of gun ownership than some other southeast Asian nations.
•  While it is common to find illegal weapons, many of them are imports from nations that are embroiled in conflict.
• 10.3 million guns, or one for every seven people, were reportedly owned by civilians in Thailand in 2017, both legally and illegally. About 4 million of them were illegal.
• Gunpolicy.org reported that in 2019, there were 1,292 annual deaths from firearms, compared to 2,953 deaths a decade earlier.
• A legitimate justification for owning a firearm, such as going hunting or owning a collection, must be provided by applicants for a gun owner's licence. The applicant must be at least 20 years old and must first pass background checks that take into account their character, living situation, income, and any criminal records.

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