Thailand will tighten its gun ownership and drug laws, the interior ministry said Wednesday after the massacre of 36 people – including 24 children – in a kindergarten was the kingdom’s worst mass killing.

The country was rocked after a former police officer broke into a small kindergarten in north-east Na Klang last week and murdered 24 children and their teacher before killing his wife, their child and himself.

The attack was carried out with a knife and a legally acquired weapon, and although Thailand has a large number of firearms in circulation – one estimate says there are up to one in seven firearms per person – mass shootings are rare.

Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said Wednesday the government will require stricter qualifications for new gun owners and strengthen checks on existing gun owners.

“Our new qualification will include mental health reports, we will consider whether we need evidence from doctors,” he told a news conference, without giving further details.

Gun applicants are already required to undergo a background check and provide a valid reason for ownership – such as hunting or self-defense.

“For example, if officials want to possess a gun, their supervisors must confirm that that person has no record of alcohol abuse or bad temper,” Anupong said.

Village leaders or local officials will play a role in issuing the stricter gun licenses, he said.

Currently, gun owners are not required to reapply for licenses during the lifetime of a firearm.

But now, licensed gun owners are required to undergo inspections every three to five years, Anupong said.

“As times change, people change,” he explained.

Parliament will also discuss an exceptional penalty for illegal gun owners, Anupong said, adding that individuals will be able to hand over unauthorized firearms to authorities without being prosecuted – although he did not specify by when they will do so have to.

Those who still possess illegal guns will face stiff penalties, he said.

Anupong added that his ministry will work with the police and health departments to improve drug screening and awareness, and encourage addicts to seek rehabilitation.

“If everyone in the city knows drugs exist but the local authorities don’t, they transfer them,” he said.

The kindergarten attacker, 34-year-old fired police sergeant Panya Khamrab, was fired from his post earlier this year on a drug charge, with locals saying they suspect he is a methamphetamine addict.

However, preliminary testing revealed that he had no drugs in his system at the time of the attack.