Thailand is in the grip of soul-searching over its gun culture after the deadly shooting Tuesday by a 14-year-old at the Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok. The tragedy, which left two people dead and five injured, was Thailand's third high-profile shooting spree in nearly four years. The nation has one of the highest rates of gun ownership and gun homicide in Southeast Asia. Thailand has strict laws intended to regulate the millions of firearms in circulation, but the head of a risk-assessment firm told The Times that a lack of enforcement makes regulation nonexistent. State officials and law enforcement officers can buy an unlimited number of guns from the government at a steep discount, leading to a thriving black market. Of Thailand's 7.2 million privately owed guns, only six million are registered.
The Catholic Church convened a major assembly of bishops yesterday at the Vatican. These multiyear gatherings are generally used to discuss specific issues to better guide the church. This synod could represent the culmination of Pope Francis' papacy, and lay the groundwork for change on issues like married priests and gay unions. In what some consider a momentous innovation, Francis invited lay people, including women, to take part and vote in the meeting. Conservative bishops held their own gathering in opposition on Tuesday. Francis also issued a major new document yesterday that urgently calls to save a planet near the breaking point.
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