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REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBANGKOK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Thailand will close legal loopholes relating to firearm classification and online sales in its gun control efforts, its police chief said on Wednesday, a day after a teenager was arrested following a deadly shooting at a mall that left two people dead. Existing Thai laws on the possession of illegal firearms carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 20,000 Thai baht($539.67). Laws have tightened after mass shootings in recent years in Thailand, including a requirement for a medical evaluation for those who want to buy a gun or renew their gun license. And in 2020, a soldier shot and killed at least 29 people in another northeastern Thai city. "The government should learn the lessons from past mass shooting incidents, review the proposed solutions and quickly implement them," Krisanaphong said.

Persons: Athit, Torsak Sukvimol, Torsak, Lazada, Krisanaphong, Panu, Poppy McPherson, Devjyot Ghoshal, Bernadette Baum, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Authorities, Thailand's Channel, Rangsit University, Reuters, Singapore's, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Siam, Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Southeast Asia, Thai

Pheu Thai's Srettha Thavisin gestures at the party headquarters before a royal endorsement ceremony after Thailand's parliament voted in favour of his prime ministerial candidacy, in Bangkok, Thailand August 23, 2023. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBANGKOK, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Thailand's new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin visited the resort island of Phuket on Friday, a first official trip to underline plans to shore-up economic recovery by bolstering tourism, a key driver of growth. The state planning agency has since cut its growth projection to a 2.5% to 3.0% range from 2.7% to 3.7%. The government will then have to deliver policy objectives to a joint session of parliament before starting work, likely in late September. ($1 = 35.1100 baht)Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgupmanat; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pheu, Thailand's, Athit, Srettha Thavisin, Srettha, Chiang Mai, Panu, Martin Petty Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Tourism, Thai Party, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Phuket, China, Phangnga

Thailand's bicameral parliament has been deadlocked for weeks on forming a government, after the anti-establishment election winner Move Forward succumbed to conservative resistance in parliament, leaving second-placed Pheu Thai to take up the effort. Parliament will vote on Tuesday on the prime ministerial bid of Pheu Thai's Srettha Thavisin, a 60-year-old real estate mogul who was thrust into politics only a few months ago. "To move the Pheu Thai Party forward, to help the people, we are not lying to the people but we have to be realistic," he told a press conference. "Over the past nine years Pheu Thai was not in government, we didn't have power, it is clear people's living standards dropped." Pheu Thai’s bid to form a governmentPheu Thai said it would still forge ahead with changing the constitution to make it more democratic, but would steer clear of amending laws related to the powerful monarchy.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Athit, Thaksin, Srettha, Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck Shinawatra, Pheu, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut, Panu, Martin Petty, Robert Birsel, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Ex, Pheu Thai Party, Pheu, Thai Party, Forward, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

Thailand has been under a caretaker government since March and its new parliament has been deadlocked for weeks after anti-establishment election winners Move Forward were blocked by conservative lawmakers, leaving populist heavyweight Pheu Thai to lead a new effort. Srettha said on Monday Pheu Thai had failed to secure the outright majority it had targeted, so its only chance of governing was in partnership with some rivals it had vowed not to work with. Still, he seems determined and confident to follow through this time, however, with widespread speculation that Pheu Thai's alliance with its enemies is part of a behind-the-scenes deal Thaksin may have struck to allow his return. Pheu Thai has denied Thaksin's involvement in its bid to form a government and the former leader has for months denied conspiring with the generals who led coups against him and sister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2006 and 2014. "Tomorrow, at 9 a.m., I want permission to come back to live on Thai soil and breathe the air with other Thai people," Thaksin said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Athit, Pheu, Thaksin, Thaksin Shinawatra, Srettha, Thai, upstarts, Yingluck Shinawatra, Martin Petty, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Ex, Thai Party, English Premier League football, Thaksin, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

"We are asking the court to close Facebook, not allowing it to provide services in Thailand if they let these fake pages scam people," Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn told Reuters. Ministry spokesperson Wetang Phuangsup told Reuters officials were currently gathering evidence of wrongdoing by Facebook that would be presented before court. "If there is a lot of wrongdoing, the court could close down pages and accounts. Or the court could close the entire platform," he said. The ministry said scams perpetrated on Facebook included luring users to invest in fake companies, faking government bodies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and trading in digital currencies.

Persons: Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Meta, Wetang Phuangsup, Chaiwut, Panu, Martin Petty, Devjyot, David Goodman, Mark Potter Organizations: Facebook, Reuters, Ministry of Digital Economy, Society, Securities and Exchange Commission, Thomson Locations: BANGKOK, Southeast Asia's, Thailand

The military has for decades invoked its duty to defend the monarchy to justify intervention in politics, and used the lese majeste law to stifle dissent, critics say. Much depends on whether Move Forward's main ally, second-place winner Pheu Thai, sticks with it or seeks other coalition partners if Pita's bid looks doomed. King Vajiralongkorn, 70, who has no role in choosing a government, has remained silent on the lese majeste issue since the election. In the last election in 2019, no party would have dared suggest amending the lese majeste law. Pheu Thai, which has 141 seats to Move Forward's 151, could nominate its prime ministerial candidate with the eight-party alliance intact.

Persons: Maha Vajiralongkorn, Suthida, Pita Limjaroenrat, Pita, Seri Suwanpanon, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Prayuth Chan, Pheu, King Vajiralongkorn, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Thaksin Shinawatra, Titipol Phakdeewanich, Amarat Chokepamitkul, Panu, Kay Johnson, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Royal News, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, Senate, Ubon Ratchathani University, Royal Household Bureau, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Thai, Handout, BANGKOK, Pheu

They are seeking to form a coalition government with six other parties, all of which are due to sign the agreement on their objectives later on Monday. Other alliance members have had reservations about tampering with that law. The party had on Friday said lese-majeste would be included only if the eight parties backed it. His alliance comprises 313 seats, but it needs backing from 376 legislators to vote Pita in. Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut Setboonsarng and Panu Wongcha-um; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

This time, Pheu Thai is polling strongly along with the progressive, youth-oriented, Move Forward party. 'LOOKING FOR A DEAL'But bringing her father home may ultimately be the deciding factor for Pheu Thai, and that would force it into a deal with the establishment. "Post election, Pheu Thai will be biding its time and looking for a deal. That's why I think the likelihood of Pheu Thai going with Move Forward is very slim." He said he could envision a deal that allowed Thaksin to return in exchange for minimal jail time and a promise not to run for office.

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