The Royal Thai Police was set to step up its control on gun ownership as of May.

Deputy National Police spokesperson Anucha Romyanan said on April 30 that official statistics related to criminal cases in the past 12 months showed a disturbing surge in the use of both registered and illegal guns.

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 offences.

The police will be specifically paying attention to teenage motorcycle street racers, who are prone to commit crimes, as well as released convicts and loan sharks, said he.

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.-VNA