SC Asset Corp, a real-estate firm run by the Shinawatra family of former premier Thaksin, has denied a rumour spread on social media that war weapons were kept at Shinawatra Tower III, which houses the company.
The denial was made in a statement issued by the company yesterday after messages spread on the internet which claimed the discovery of the weapons led the military to invoke martial law yesterday.
The rumour about the discovery of a cache of weapons went viral on social media after Facebook user "Somchai Sawaengkarn", a member of the so-called Group of 40 anti-government senators, said he had obtained the information via a Line message from a newspaper.
The Bangkok Post also checked a photo featuring weapons alleged to be kept at Shinawatra Tower III which was posted on the internet along with various comments, and found it was taken in 2010 at a Department of Special Investigation press conference about a major seizure of war weapons.
According to the rumour, the weapons were discovered by soldiers during a fire at Shinawatra Tower III on Monday about 3.20pm.
SC Asset insisted no fire had occurred at the building.
On that day, the company's power reserve generator malfunctioned and began emitting smoke.
No soldiers inspected the building, and no weapons were found. The information was baseless, the firm said.
Sen Somchai said the discovery of the weapons had prompted the military to invoke martial law to prevent possible violence.