No, spearguns are prohibited under Thailand’s Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) and Fisheries Act B.E. 2558 (2015), classifying them as illegal fishing gear. The Department of Fisheries enforces these bans, with penalties including fines up to ฿400,000 and imprisonment for 4 years. Exceptions exist for licensed commercial fishers, but recreational use is uniformly banned. Recent 2026 amendments tighten enforcement, requiring mandatory inspections of fishing vessels and stricter penalties for non-compliance.
Key Regulations for Spearguns in Thailand
- Prohibition under Fisheries Act: Spearguns are classified as destructive fishing equipment, explicitly banned under Section 65 of the Fisheries Act, which prohibits gear that harms marine ecosystems or endangered species.
- Wildlife Protection Laws: The Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act criminalizes speargun use for hunting, as it constitutes unauthorized capture of protected species, with enforcement led by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
- Licensing Exemptions: Only commercial fishers with special permits from the Department of Fisheries may use spearguns, subject to quotas and restricted zones, while recreational divers face absolute bans under Ministerial Regulation (No. 10) B.E. 2558.