Police Expand Probe Into Suspected Pattaya Terror Plot

Thai police have widened their investigation into a suspected terror plot after the arrest of a 31-year-old Chinese national in Chonburi, where officers seized military-grade weapons, explosives and tactical equipment from a rented house in Huai Yai, Bang Lamung district.

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The suspect, identified as Mingchen Sun, was arrested after crashing his car in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district on 8 May 2026. Police searching the vehicle allegedly found a handgun and ammunition magazines, leading officers to raid his rented property where they uncovered assault rifles, grenades, detonators, C4 explosives and other military-style equipment.

At 22.30 on 8 May, Chonburi Provincial Police commander Major General Phongphan Wongmanit travelled to the property to oversee the investigation. He instructed Na Jomtien police investigators to document every seized item in detail and coordinate with forensic officers from Police Forensic Science Division 2 in Chonburi to gather further evidence.

Major General Phongphan said National Police Chief Police General Kittirat Phanphet had ordered investigators to examine the case from every angle, particularly issues linked to national security and public safety. He declined to disclose further operational details, saying doing so could affect the investigation.

Authorities are now investigating whether the stockpile of explosives and weapons was linked to preparations for an attack, while also tracing the source of the military hardware. Police said the suspect’s claim that he suffered from depression would be reviewed by psychiatrists as part of the inquiry.

Several agencies have joined the investigation, including Provincial Police Region 2, Chonburi provincial police, immigration police, EOD bomb disposal teams, security agencies and representatives from the Chinese embassy.

Investigators found the suspect had rented the property for 38,000 baht per month and had lived there for around two years. Records showed he had travelled in and out of Thailand several times since 2020, most recently entering the country on 27 January 2026 using a re-entry visa linked to a long-stay visa.

Pictures courtesy of SiamChon

Police also said the suspect possessed passports from both China and Cambodia, a pink identification card for individuals without official registration status, and was listed on a Bangkok house registration document. Authorities are verifying the authenticity of all documents.

Seized items included a Glock 26 pistol, M16 rifles, more than 700 rounds of ammunition, almost 7.3kg of C4 explosives, Russian POMZ2 anti-personnel mines, BA/WA grenades, a Korean K75 grenade, a Myanmar M6/01 grenade, electric detonators, remote-control trigger devices, bulletproof vests, gas masks and four 20-litre containers of petrol.

Residents in the housing estate told reporters they were shocked by the discovery, describing the suspect as polite and friendly. Several said they feared the entire neighbourhood could have been devastated if the explosives had detonated.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now SiamChon 9 May 2026