A Swedish man is under investigation after staff at a self-storage company in Patong, Phuket, discovered five firearms and 100 rounds of ammunition inside a rented locker that had gone unpaid for more than 120 days.

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The discovery was made on 13 May 2026 after representatives of Mespace Self Storage Patong, located at the Jungceylon shopping centre on Rat Uthit 200 Pi Road in Patong, Kathu district, opened locker number 2184 to inspect its contents. Staff said the locker had been rented under the name Mr Elmi Ahmed Mohamed, a Swedish national, who had failed to pay rental fees for more than four months and could no longer be contacted.

According to Mr Kirakorn Chiewcharn, an authorised representative of the company, the locker was opened on 12 May 2026 in line with company procedures after repeated failed attempts to contact the renter. During the inspection, staff found five suspected firearms and 9mm ammunition stored inside the unit.

Weapons are prohibited items under the storage company’s rules, prompting staff to immediately notify officers from Patong Police Station. Police investigators and officers from the station’s investigation unit later attended the scene to inspect the contents and seize the items for examination.

Police confirmed the cache included four Glock 9mm pistols and one CZ pistol, along with two boxes of 9mm ammunition containing 50 rounds each, for a total of 100 rounds. Authorities said the firearms appeared to be legally registered, but officers are continuing to examine whether the weapons were being possessed in accordance with Thai law.

The case has drawn attention to the handling of firearms by foreign nationals in Thailand and the responsibilities of self-storage operators when prohibited items are discovered on their premises. No arrests or charges have been announced at this stage.

Daily News reported that investigators are now working to establish the origin of the firearms and verify all ownership and registration records connected to the weapons. Police said further legal action would depend on the outcome of those checks.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 13 May 2026

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Off topic posts, discussing just a name, removed. Discuss the topic and not your political agenda.

Too many criminals, scammers, grifters, losers, and undesirables around everywhere now. Thailand will have to choose between mass tourism with the high arrival rate and spending figures or drastically cutting down on low-value tourism... which will hurt in the short-term, but is the only way to achieve this change in tourism dynamics the government seems to want.

It's catch 22 really, if they do it, then many Thais in the business sector will squeal like little pigs, and if they don't, then this sort of stuff will only worsen and stoke the fires of resentment and nationalism, which is bad enough as it is now.

I even read that a Phuket MP was calling for the free-entry visa to be scapped altogether for all countries and that it should be a tourist visa only. Thailand made the questionable decision of letting the Russians, Chinese, Arabs/Middle-Easterners, and Indians flood the country and now they are in the majority with all the problems that come with them. Can't have your cake and eat it and this huge crackdown that's coming is all the fault of the morons that come here from questionable places, not the expats that live here and mostly behave.

Begs the question "legally registered" to who. What I'm reading only Thais can register firearms.

Either corruption or they are Thai registered.

Too many criminals, scammers, grifters, losers, and undesirables around everywhere now. Thailand will have to choose between mass tourism with the high arrival rate and spending figures or drastically cutting down on low-value tourism... which will hurt in the short-term, but is the only way to achieve this change in tourism dynamics the government seems to want.

It's catch 22 really, if they do it, then many Thais in the business sector will squeel like little pigs, and if they don't, then this sort of stuff will only worsen and stoke the fires of resentment and nationalism, which is bad enough as it is now.

I even read that a Phuket MP was calling for the free-entry visa to be scapped altogether for all countries and that it should be a tourist visa only. Thailand made the questionable decision of letting the Russians, Chinese, Arabs/Middle-Easterners, and Indians flood the country and now they are in the majority with all the problems that come with them. Can't have your cake and eat it and this huge crackdown that's coming is all the fault of the morons that come here from questionable places, not the expats that live here and mostly behave.

As for this guy's name... not even going to get started on that one and not your fault Sweden. Facepalm.

What does that have to do with the story at hand? Back when I arrived (2011), foreigners could buy and legally register guns. It was apparently a PITA to get approved, but I knew a few that had legal guns. I decided early on that it wasn't worth the effort. That's apparently no longer the case, since (I think) around 2016, when they banned foreign purchases. But I think they grandfathered in the existing foreigners.

If (as the OP claims) the guns were legally registered, the guy's not a tourist and wasn't on a 60 day visa exempt when he bought them.

Edit: In fact, if the guy went through the approval process, he's probably been carefully vetted.

On an aside, I've window shopped the gun store neighborhood in BKK Chinatown and my Lord, their prices are outrageous.

Off topic troll post removed. @TheFishman1 I posted a public notice above, yet you still choose to post!

"Staff said the locker had been rented under the name Mr Elmi Ahmed Mohamed, a Swedish national"

Looks like the weapons were totally legal, and breaking the companies terms and conditions for storing items is not an offense the police would care about. Another overinflated anti-foreigner story.

It's almost as if the Thai media is anti-foreigner, do they want our money or don't they?

56 minutes ago, impulse said:

What does that have to do with the story at hand? Back when I arrived (2011), foreigners could buy and legally register guns. It was apparently a PITA to get approved, but I knew a few that had legal guns. I decided early on that it wasn't worth the effort. That's apparently no longer the case, since (I think) around 2016, when they banned foreign purchases. But I think they grandfathered in the existing foreigners.

If (as the OP claims) the guns were legally registered, the guy's not a tourist and wasn't on a 60 day visa exempt when he bought them.

Edit: In fact, if the guy went through the approval process, he's probably been carefully vetted.

On an aside, I've window shopped the gun store neighborhood in BKK Chinatown and my Lord, their prices are outrageous.

I believe thats true about prices. I know a Thai cop. He purchased an American made North American Arms .22 magnum revolver .. several years go. I can buy one tomorrow for under $500.00.. He paid $3000.00 .. I think it was 4 or 5 years ago he bought it in a Thai gun store.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

"Staff said the locker had been rented under the name Mr Elmi Ahmed Mohamed, a Swedish national"

Looks like the weapons were totally legal, and breaking the companies terms and conditions for storing items is not an offense the police would care about. Another overinflated anti-foreigner story.

It's almost as if the Thai media is anti-foreigner, do they want our money or don't they?

Yes, all those poor persecuted foreigners again. Kidnapped and forced to live here against their will, forced to obey the laws. Wahhhhh.

The thread looks like Custer's last stand same as the locker.

1 hour ago, impulse said:

What does that have to do with the story at hand? Back when I arrived (2011), foreigners could buy and legally register guns. It was apparently a PITA to get approved, but I knew a few that had legal guns. I decided early on that it wasn't worth the effort. That's apparently no longer the case, since (I think) around 2016, when they banned foreign purchases. But I think they grandfathered in the existing foreigners.

I got my firearms permit in 2007.

It is my understanding it remains valid whilst I own the guns purchased pre farnag ban, I cannot buy/registered any new guns.

Why would anybody need five pistols? Why would anybody need any guns at all in Thailand???

4 hours ago, sikishrory said:

Begs the question "legally registered" to who. What I'm reading only Thais can register firearms.

Either corruption or they are Thai registered.

Possibly registered to a Thai wife.

Not unusual.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Why would anybody need five pistols? Why would anybody need any guns at all in Thailand???

Good for taking care of feral cats in the back yard.

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Why would anybody need five pistols? Why would anybody need any guns at all in Thailand???

I think a lot of Americans feel insecure without one.

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2 hours ago, Deerculler said:

Possibly registered to a Thai wife.

Not unusual.

Possibly and if that's the case then the whole story would be better framed around that primary owner

2 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Possibly and if that's the case then the whole story would be better framed around that primary owner

The story is based around the details given by the authorities and not based on some theory by an AN poster. As normal the article is taken from recognised news sources and I certainly don’t needs suggestions how to frame an article, based on nothing.

Post breaking forum rules removed. @sikishrory

17.News articles are collected from recognised sources and may be consolidated or rewritten with AI assistance. Respectful discussion of the article content is welcome. Disrespectful comments about the articles, the use of AI, or the news team (e.g. “clickbait,” “slow news day,” mocking grammar, or AI taunts) are not permitted. Posts breaching this rule will be removed, and posting suspension or account closure may result. If you see an error in an article, please use the report function.

Seems the Arab-Swede left the country and guns behind (?).

I'm not a gun person but aren't those guns in total worth USD $2500-$3000? Seems a lot of money to just walk away from. Strange story.

14 hours ago, sikishrory said:

Begs the question "legally registered" to who. What I'm reading only Thais can register firearms.

Either corruption or they are Thai registered.

Foreigners were allowed to legally purchase and own guns for many years, but the law was changed about 5 or more years ago. I had a neighbor years ago who was an older American who lived here for 40-50 years. He owned a couple of guns that he had purchased legally.

18 hours ago, Deerculler said:

Possibly registered to a Thai wife.

Not unusual.

In that case, foreigners do not have the right to even touch a gun. If they do, Thai courts will charge them with illegal possession of a firearm, which is a criminal offense. Any such use that becomes public—like the incident mentioned—automatically results in a criminal case.

17 hours ago, BusyB said:

I think a lot of Americans feel insecure without one.

Americans believe an armed citizenry is one of the things that helps keep a government from getting too big for its britches. After all, it hasn't gone unnoticed that in the U.K. people can now get police visits over social media posts and “offensive” speech. Many Americans prefer a system where the government fears the citizens a little more than the citizens fear the government.

19 hours ago, Deerculler said:

Possibly registered to a Thai wife.

Not unusual.

Quite right, Tom Jones.😉

My guess: he was peddling them. Wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the rich and powerful gentlemens of LOS like flashing their fancy foreign sidearms the way they do with their watches and cars.

Off topic troll post removed. @JJ-Thailand there are already two moderators notices in the topic, yet you still choose to post.

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On 5/14/2026 at 12:05 AM, Ralf001 said:

Good for taking care of feral cats in the back yard.

You must be very fond of rats.

On 5/15/2026 at 9:32 AM, oslooskar said:

Americans believe an armed citizenry is one of the things that helps keep a government from getting too big for its britches. After all, it hasn't gone unnoticed that in the U.K. people can now get police visits over social media posts and “offensive” speech. Many Americans prefer a system where the government fears the citizens a little more than the citizens fear the government.

Totally off-topic, but thanks anyway.

1 hour ago, oslooskar said:

You must be very fond of rats.

My house is rodent free.