AYUTTHAYA — Security officers on Monday seized a variety of war weapons and grenades, including an M79 grenade launcher, from a house rented by a man called to report in by the junta for his alleged involvement in several violent incidents.
Photos by Sunthon Pongpao
A team of soldiers and police raided an unregistered house on a 60-rai plot of land in tambon Khlong Phraya Banlua of Lat Bua Luang district in the early hours of Monday morning after a tip-off that the place may have been used to hide military-grade weapons.
The house was rented by Wattana Subwichain, 48, who was recently summoned by the National Council for Peace and Order and had since reported to junta officials.
Authorites searched the premises and discovered an M79 grenade launcher with 16 M79 grenades, 17 hand grenades of different types, including RGD-5s, an AK-47 along with four magazines for an AK rifle and 30 ammunition rounds hidden in an irrigation canal in front of the house.
Two armour plates used as inserts for bullet-resistant vests, one of which had a bullet mark, were also retrieved from the water.
Police believed the firearms and grenades were likely dumped in the canal by Mr Wattana. Investigators were establishing links between the suspect and the weapons.
Pol Maj Gen Sriwara Rungsipramanakul, acting commander of the Provincial Police Region 1, said Mr Wannata was called in by the NCPO after intelligence reports indicated that he had been involved in violent political attacks in the past several months.
He said the suspect was part of a hardline underground network active in different areas, but did not give further details. Authorities were checking if the grenade launcer and the firearms had been used in previous political attacks.
