Man, 57, Arrested in Durian Orchard with Arsenal of Weapons and Ammunition

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from the arrest.

 

Authorities in Chumphon Province have arrested a 57-year-old man who reportedly terrorised his community by firing weapons to intimidate residents and harassing his wife and stepchild, forcing them to flee for their safety. A large cache of firearms and ammunition was seized during the operation.

 

The arrest, led by Chumphon Provincial Investigation Unit under Pol Lt Col Wiwat Chimmani, involved officers from the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), local administrative officials, and police. The suspect, Mr. Watcharin (surname withheld), a resident of Khuan Si Subdistrict, Ban Na San District, Surat Thani, was taken into custody on charges of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition without authorisation.

 

Items seized during the operation included:

 

1. HK Mark 23 .45-calibre pistol

 

2. STI President .40-calibre pistol

 

3. 66 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition

 

4. 123 rounds of 45-calibre ammunition

 

5. 131 rounds of .44-calibre ammunition

 

6. 173 rounds of .40-calibre ammunition

 

7. 80 rounds of 9mm ammunition

 

8. 108 rounds of 7.62-calibre ammunition

 

9. Ammunition belt for an M60 machine gun

 

10. 25 rounds of .22-calibre ammunition

 

11. Seven magazines (.45 and .40 calibres)

 

The suspect was apprehended at a durian orchard behind his home in Pak Tako Subdistrict, Thung Tako District. Police discovered one firearm hidden beneath a shelter in the orchard, while additional weapons and ammunition were found concealed in a white Ford four-door pickup truck. An M60-compatible ammunition belt, along with 7.62mm rounds, was found stored in a fibre tube within the orchard.

 

Mr. Watcharin, originally from Surat Thani, married a widow with one child two years ago and joined her in managing her 60-rai durian farm. Despite achieving financial success, he reportedly became increasingly aggressive, frequently firing weapons to intimidate neighbours and instigating disputes with his wife and stepchild. His violent behaviour ultimately drove his wife and stepchild to flee to her parents' home in Sawi District, Chumphon.

 

The situation prompted a formal complaint to ISOC Chumphon, leading to a coordinated operation that resulted in his arrest.

 

The suspect claimed to be a competitive shooting enthusiast, stating that he regularly participated in shooting competitions and collected firearms as a hobby. However, police records revealed he had been arrested in 2018 on similar firearm possession charges.

 

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case, while the seized weapons and ammunition have been taken into custody for further examination.

 

-- 2025-01-26

 

 

[steven100]

oh dear Georgealbert,   good job by the police,  this guy is dangerous and a threat to his family and the local folks. 

Why the heck would he want all that ammo and the pistols.  

 

another nut case evolving ....  

[fredwiggy]

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

oh dear Georgealbert,   good job by the police,  this guy is dangerous and a threat to his family and the local folks. 

Why the heck would he want all that ammo and the pistols.  

 

another nut case evolving ....  

A couple of pistols and some ammunition isn't out of the ordinary for a hunter or target shooter. What he did with them was wrong and makes other gun owners get lumped into a category which they don't deserve. I had more guns and ammo but I'm a hunter, and responsible with them. Nut cases evolve from bad childhoods, and it has nothing to do with being a gun owner.

[sammieuk1]

He is still free to lob Durians from a ballista disguised as a shed so beware 🤔

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

A couple of pistols and some ammunition isn't out of the ordinary for a hunter or target shooter. What he did with them was wrong and makes other gun owners get lumped into a category which they don't deserve. I had more guns and ammo but I'm a hunter, and responsible with them. Nut cases evolve from bad childhoods, and it has nothing to do with being a gun owner.

I stand by what I mentioned and this definitive statement... 

' this guy is dangerous and a threat to his family and the local folks. '

 

Nothing wrong with gun owners who enjoy hunting or target shooters as long as they are responsible,  in that the guns and ammo are secured separately and locked away,  and all firearms are registered. 

 

I use to enjoy fox hunting at night with my uncle on the farm when I was a teen. 

 

 

[fredwiggy]

7 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I stand by what I mentioned and this definitive statement... 

' this guy is dangerous and a threat to his family and the local folks. '

 

Nothing wrong with gun owners who enjoy hunting or target shooters as long as they are responsible,  in that the guns and ammo are secured separately and locked away,  and all firearms are registered. 

 

I use to enjoy fox hunting at night with my uncle on the farm when I was a teen. 

 

 

I replied to you, answering why he would want all the guns and ammo. Yes, all gun owners should be responsible, and most actually are, with regards to hunters and target shooters, but there's always some that ruin if for others and leave their guns out where people who aren't can access them.

[Phillip9]

23 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

A couple of pistols and some ammunition isn't out of the ordinary for a hunter

 

Nobody hunts with a pistol unless they are hunting humans.

[fredwiggy]

6 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Nobody hunts with a pistol unless they are hunting humans.

Pistol hunting is very popular, and more sporting then with a rifle. I will buy a Thompson Contender to hunt with when I move back home. Always wanted one but never got around to it. Not all pistols are good for hunting. Only certain types like the Thompson Center and others. Taking a few words from my statement isn't valid unless you use the rest.................. or target shooter.

[Ben Zioner]

Just now, Georgealbert said:

Ammunition belt for an M60 machine gun

Rambo fan..

[Phillip9]

14 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

19 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

Nobody hunts with a pistol unless they are hunting humans.

Pistol hunting is very popular, and more sporting then with a rifle. I will buy a Thompson Contender to hunt with when I move back home.

 

Ok, I will rephrase that then.  Almost nobody hunts with a pistol.  Nobody in Thailand hunts with a pistol unless they are hunting humans.

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Ok, I will rephrase that then.  Almost nobody hunts with a pistol.  Nobody in Thailand hunts with a pistol unless they are hunting humans.

Almost 3 million hunt in the US alone with pistols. There isn't any hunting in Thailand because there is little conservation here.

[Phillip9]

30 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Almost 3 million hunt in the US alone with pistols.

 

So one out of every five hunters in America hunts with a pistol?  Ridiculous.

 

Probably that many are carrying a pistol as a sidearm to make themselves feel like more of a man while hunting, but there is no where near that number using a pistol as a primary hunting gun.

[fredwiggy]

7 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

So one out of every five hunters in America hunts with a pistol?  Ridiculous.

 

Probably that many are carrying a pistol as a sidearm to make themselves feel like more of a man while hunting, but there is no where near that number using a pistol as a primary hunting gun.

If you don't hunt, you don't understand much about it. Yes, there are  many, many hunters who use a pistol, many I personally know. If you look at the sales of Thompson Centers and like pistols you'll see. Some Thompson owners are target shooters. Many carry sidearms when hunting bears for protection. Carrying guns doesn't make you more of a man. You either are or you aren't . A pistol is just another way of hunting, like a bow, crossbow, rifle, spear or shotgun.

[Justanotherone]

wow he must really love the money durians bring him

[Phillip9]

45 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

If you don't hunt, you don't understand much about it. Yes, there are  many, many hunters who use a pistol, many I personally know. If you look at the sales of Thompson Centers and like pistols you'll see. Some Thompson owners are target shooters. Many carry sidearms when hunting bears for protection.

Yes, I hunt, or did when I lived in the US.  I've seen many hundreds, or probably thousands of hunters.  I've never seen one carrying a pistol as a primary. 

[fredwiggy]

24 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

Yes, I hunt, or did when I lived in the US.  I've seen many hundreds, or probably thousands of hunters.  I've never seen one carrying a pistol as a primary. 

I sold guns for years before I moved here, in Texas. Read countless hunting magazines. There are quite a few that use it as an alternate. Myself as soon as I get back.

[steven100]

9 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

Rambo fan..

my first thought when I read it .....    is the machine gun at mama's house under the mattress  ?