N. Korea Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing At Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport

[xerostar]

This is such an interesting thread for us speculators and political experts.

I would like to add my 2 cents worth.

OK it seems we agree the arms were from North Korea who has long been known

to sell arms to anyone.

It appears the aircraft was on lease and flown by a group of Russian speaking men.

I would speculate that these guys were only on this mission to make big money.

In short they could be described as modern-day gun runners.

There customers would undoubtedly be the Taliban who use a lot of RPGs.

The plane would have flown around Chinese airspace so crossing Thailand would

have been their right-hand turn to head west.

The reason for landing? - unlikely it was a fuel stop. If the CIA already knew about it

then I'd say a phone call to the Thai govt/air force could have had them scramble a few jets

and forced the pilot to land. They certainly don't want more arms falling into the hands of the

Taliban. The coming warmer weather in Afghanistan signals a new offensive by the Taliban

and they will be arming themselves by any means possible.

How did the Taliban pay for those arms? By delivering a load of Opium to North Korea who

are known for their money-making drug shipments.

Am I kidding? - yes, am I for real? yes .. but critics please fire away and shoot down my

arguments if you will - I know you will!

But Hey it's interesting - lets see who ends up with the correct answers!

Cheers

[TopDogger]

The payload was almost exculsively RPG's.

The Thai authorites had already been tipped off, and they'd warned the aircraft not to land in Thailand numerous times but the pilot ignored the requests... Apparently, the pilot was only bothered about his 2 bottles of russain vodka not getting impounded..

[Artisi]

Maybe Takki getting ready .

[ericthai]

The payload was almost exculsively RPG's.

The Thai authorites had already been tipped off, and they'd warned the aircraft not to land in Thailand numerous times but the pilot ignored the requests... Apparently, the pilot was only bothered about his 2 bottles of russain vodka not getting impounded..

Mostly RPGS, really? Did you see the pictures looks like there is more than that.

Can you please advise where did you get your information that Thai authorities warned them not to land several times?

[ericthai]

Maybe Takki getting ready .

Who is Takki?

[animatic]

I find the explaination that the US tipped off the Thai military, who forced the plane to land, much more plausible.

thats all i wrote but the post was censored (deleted). I honestly doubt the fuel shortage. One General said that the plane was guarded by Thai Airforce. OK guarded doesnt mean necesarily two planes bringing it down, can be also mean tracked with airguidance systems but after the tip off from US intelligence first case szenario is more plausible.

will we learn the truth behind the story? I doubt it if there is no interview with the pilot or the crew

Quite plausible considering all the players involved.

[Meridian007]

Has there been a response from Pyongyang yet? I've looked around but I'm surprised to not see one yet. It's not within great leader's personality to keep quiet about anything.

[dustybooky]

Running out of fuel on a run that is supposed to be clandestine? Maybe the destination was closer than all the speculation has mentioned, and the estimated fuel was just a wee bit short.

Myanmar?

Maybe Burma would have been just a pit stop, more refueling before heading west or north. Burma and NK get along well so why not a bit of cooperation there. It's still quite a ways to Rangoon, maybe the fuel tanks were bone dry or it had a malfunction. In that case, better Don Muang than an emergency landing in the Burmese jungle or the rice paddies of western Thailand. Whatever the destination it had to have a good (and long) landing strip.

Also, wherever it was going to, the people on the ground would have know about it. For ex., it could probably land in Mogadishu no problem but probably couldn't land in Beirut. In the latter instance, the destination could be Damascus and then the weapons shipped overland to Hezbollah. I doubt it could go to the Taliban via Pakistan or Afghanistan but maybe to one of the other stans nearby and then overland. Interesting story.

[TopDogger]

Can you please advise where did you get your information?

No

[ericthai]

Can you please advise where did you get your information?

No

oh ok, I understand you are making things up..

[webfact]

NORTH KOREAN PLANE IMPOUNDED

Five crew members charged with posssessing weapons

Thai police on Sunday charged five crew members of a North Korean plane impounded in Bangkok on Saturday with possessing weapons for war, police spokesman said Sunday.

Pol Lt Gen Pongsathat Pongcharoen said that the five denied the charge, saying that they had no idea what they were transporting.

The five; one from Belarus and the rest from Kazakhsatan, were detained after a search on their plane found about 35 tonnes of war weapons.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday the plane is registered in Georgia and left Pyongyang of North Korea before stopping in Bangkok on Friday for refuelling.

Abhisit said the weapons came from a North Korean company but the authorities are investigating its destination.

Meanwhile Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said "UN resolution 1874 bans the transfer of weapons from North Korea and identifies four steps that we must follow -- inspecting, seizing and destroying the weapons, and informing the UN of our find.

He said that if necessary, the Thai government would bring in UN experts to go over the massive haul. It will take some time. "The weapons had been already transferred to an air force depot Nakhon Sawan province.

-- The Nation 2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[MaiChai]

I recon that the crew regularly refuel at Bangkok and normally their cargo is not checked. However since the Americans have requested that the plane is checked, the Thais have obliged, and they got caught this time?

Some folks obviously missed the report that the plane had already refueled in BKK enroute to NK, and was returning with a cargo. I also suspect this is not the first time this plane has done this delivery route; since they passed this way already? I mean this could be the 2nd/3rth/4th/etc time they have done this delivery, since they are limited to the wieght capacity of the plane and the cargo may be larger than one plane load?

[Thongkorn]

NORTH KOREAN PLANE IMPOUNDED

Five crew members charged with posssessing weapons

Thai police on Sunday charged five crew members of a North Korean plane impounded in Bangkok on Saturday with possessing weapons for war, police spokesman said Sunday.

Pol Lt Gen Pongsathat Pongcharoen said that the five denied the charge, saying that they had no idea what they were transporting.

The five; one from Belarus and the rest from Kazakhsatan, were detained after a search on their plane found about 35 tonnes of war weapons.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday the plane is registered in Georgia and left Pyongyang of North Korea before stopping in Bangkok on Friday for refuelling.

Abhisit said the weapons came from a North Korean company but the authorities are investigating its destination.

Meanwhile Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said "UN resolution 1874 bans the transfer of weapons from North Korea and identifies four steps that we must follow -- inspecting, seizing and destroying the weapons, and informing the UN of our find.

He said that if necessary, the Thai government would bring in UN experts to go over the massive haul. It will take some time. "The weapons had been already transferred to an air force depot Nakhon Sawan province.

-- The Nation 2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

If the plane was coming from Georgia What would the Implications be, to the EEC as Georgia Is trying to join or is in the process of trying to join .

[webfact]

ITAR TASS NEWS AGENCY

Seoul worried over arrest of North Korea plane in Bangkok

By The Nation

South Korea is seriously concerned over reports that a North Korean plane was impounded and huge cache of war weapons were found on board.

"If the government of that country confirms the presence of North Korean weapons aboard the plane, it is necessary to take measures in connection with this blatant violation of UN resolutions," Itar-Tass news agency quoted a representative of South Korea's Foreign Affairs who refused to be identified.

Meanwhile the South Korean Yonhap news agency quotes an unidentified official of the South Korean government, saying that actions by Thailand "clearly show North Korea that despite the recent direct talks with the US, the international community will not brook illegal actions by Pyongyang".

Thai authorities on Saturday impounded an IL-76 plane, No 4L-AWA, flying from Pyongyang, after it requested to land at Don Muang Airport for refuelling. They found and seized about 35 tonnes of war weapons, including land-to-air missiles, explosives, electronic-ray tubes and other ammunition.

They detained five crew members of the plane; four of Kazakhstan - Alexander Zrybnev, Viktor Abdullayev, Vitaly Shumkov and Ilyas Isakov as well as Mikhail Petukhov from Belarus.

-- The Nation 2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[ferd54]

Normally I'm not all that praising of Thailand, but whatever the details, they impounded the plane, arrested the crew and seized the weapons. My guess they were headed to the Middle East, but no proof at all.

Anyway, good job.

[David006]

Going to Pak? OR Afgan?

or maybe to your country...

Its so funny how some people so ignorant of the political situations around the world...

Afghanistan was infested by US weapons in 80's during so called war against communism. Bin Laden was Fighter of the Year by Times magazine coz he was fighting against USSR with US weapons.

They created a monster and now they cant control it and ignorant people like you pointing fingers towards other countries who are fighting a useless war of US in Afghanistan...

Only if US never attacked Afghanistan, world would have been much better place now... Thanks to new-cons...

Only for you're world maybe mate..you talk of ignorance.....have you any idea of the conditions under which the the Afghans lived under the Taliban and during the civil wars/communism?? ...do some research....the US is is not the worst that could have happened to their country by a long shot....their whole history has been one oppressor after another coupled with waring factions within!!

Okay just read this Times on line:

From The Sunday Times

December 13, 2009

World news in brief

*

Arms seized at Thai airport

Thai security forces seized more than 35 tons of arms, including missiles and explosives, and arrested five crew members after a cargo plane made an emergency landing to refuel at a Bangkok airport yesterday. The flight from North Korea was thought to be heading for Sri Lanka.

Edited December 13, 2009 by David006

[britadders28]

Going to Pak? OR Afgan?

or maybe to your country...

Its so funny how some people so ignorant of the political situations around the world...

Afghanistan was infested by US weapons in 80's during so called war against communism. Bin Laden was Fighter of the Year by Times magazine coz he was fighting against USSR with US weapons.

They created a monster and now they cant control it and ignorant people like you pointing fingers towards other countries who are fighting a useless war of US in Afghanistan...

Only if US never attacked Afghanistan, world would have been much better place now... Thanks to new-cons...

Only for you're world maybe mate..you talk of ignorance.....have you any idea of the conditions under which the the Afghans lived under the Taliban and during the civil wars/communism?? ...do some research....the US is is not the worst that could have happened to their country by a long shot....their whole history has been one oppressor after another coupled with waring factions within!!

Okay just read this Times on line:

From The Sunday Times

December 13, 2009

World news in brief

*

Arms seized at Thai airport

Thai security forces seized more than 35 tons of arms, including missiles and explosives, and arrested five crew members after a cargo plane made an emergency landing to refuel at a Bangkok airport yesterday. The flight from North Korea was thought to be heading for Sri Lanka.

Independent on sunday says they were heading to pakistan which sounds right and thai authorities were tipped off by the US

[lopburi3]

A troll post and reply have been removed.

[INTJ]

I have heard from a reliable source at Don Muang that the plane was forced to land.

[webfact]

I have heard from a reliable source at Don Muang that the plane was forced to land.

Please mention your source otherwise I judge your post as rumor.

[Publicus]

Thanks to the U.S. veto power Israel, which has had nuclear weapons for years, is immune to visits by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel refuses to abide by IAEA rules. Yet, the Western countries expect Iran & N. Korea to not only have inspections by the IAEA, but have decided that they cannot have nuclear weapons. I think that it is correct that Iran has brought it to the attention of the IAEA that if Israel & Western countries are allowed to have a nuclear program, why not them? Different rules for different countries. 

No, same rules for everyone.

Democracy, peace, prosperity.

Hitler was against the rules, as was Stalin, as was Mao, Tojo, Idi Amin; as are Mugabe, Kim Jong Il, al Quada, the Taliban, others mentioned above and others not yet named in this thread but who also are real.

Everyone has the same set of rules. If some don't know that by now then they'll never learn. The ayatollas of Iran, for instance, deny the Holocaust, so they're definitely wrong and perhaps have motives we should be wary of. I'll side with Britain, France, Japan, Germany, the Nobel Committees and others of the same cloth any day, just about every time. 

No reason for confusion, these things are clear. 

 

[Scott]

I am sure we have people who know the rules better than I do, so please feel free to correct me.

I think much of what the IAEC does is inspect nuclear facilities which are capable of making fissionable material that can be used in nuclear arms.

I think they, as well as other police and military entities, check for the illegal sale of weapons.

Does Israel, for example, have a nuclear power plant capable of making fissionable material?

We need to stay on topic, but atomic weapons and other weapons are bought and sold under rather tight regulations. I believe the UN has a voice in who can/cannot buy different types of weapons.

I would be interested in knowing the source of the plane being forced to land. I am reasonably sure if the Royal Thai Air Force forced it down, that would be prominently announced by the gov't.

Thus far, things have been a little too public.

[webfact]

N KOREA IMPOUNDED IN BANGKOK

Pilot of impounded plane claims cargo destined for Ukraine

By The Nation, Thai News Agency

The pilot of a military transport aircraft impounded at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport after Thai authorities seized a huge arms cache it carried told police investigators Sunday that the shipment was bound for Ukraine.

Belarussian Mikhail Petukhou told Crime Suppression Division police during a six-hour interrogation that the plane left Ukraine and picked up the goods in North Korea.

En route to Pyongyang, the plane refilled fuel three times - in Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand, said Petukhou.

It would stop for refueling at Don Mueang and Sri Lanka and drop its cargo in Ukraine.

Insisting that he had no knowledge about the war material aboard the aircraft, Petukhou told investigators that he and his four companions were hired to transport goods and that he would only "provide other information in court."

Police are scheduled to escort them to the Criminal Court on Monday to seek further detention for interrogation.

Petukhou and four Kazakh men were apprehended Saturday when Thai authorities seized 35-40 tonnes of military weaponry including rocket-propelled grenades, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition contained in 12 crates from the plane which landed at the airport to refuel.

The seized weapons are being stored at an air force arms depot at Takhli air base in Nakhon Sawan province, police said.

-- The Nation 2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[webfact]

Official: Thais detain plane with weapons from North Korea

December 13, 2009 -- Updated 1149 GMT (1949 HKT)

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thai authorities seized a cargo aircraft carrying tons of weapons from North Korea during a refueling stop in Bangkok, a government official said.

The pilot told Thai authorities the aircraft was headed to Sri Lanka, but its final destination was unknown, according to Panitan Wattanayagorn, a spokesman for the Thai prime minister.

It contained about 35 tons of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades, shoulder-launched rockets and tubes that may be missile components, the spokesman said.

The plane, which was detained Saturday, had five people onboard -- four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus. They will appear in court Monday on charges related to illegal weapons smuggling, the spokesman said.

Thai government officials acted after working with several intelligence agencies for several weeks, the spokesman said. The cargo was taken to a military base while the plane, which is registered in Georgia, remains at Don Muang.

Sri Lanka officials said there were no shipments scheduled in the country either by air or sea from North Korea.

"We have asked the Sri Lanka embassy in Bangkok to obtain details from the Thai authorities," the ministry said. "We will have more information on the progress of their investigation later on Sunday."

Such an aircraft could not have landed in any of Sri Lanka's airports without prior authorization, officials in Colombo said.

Last year, two arm dealers were arrested in Thailand. The men's arrest came after a series of events that involved law enforcement agencies from at least five countries, including two undercover agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Viktor Bout and his associate, Andrew Smulian, made millions of dollars delivering weapons and ammunition to warlords and militants, officials said.

Bout is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world -- from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan. He has repeatedly said he has not broken any laws and the allegations against him are lies

A Thai court rejected a U.S. extradition request for Bout in August.

2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[TopDogger]

Can you please advise where did you get your information?

No

oh ok, I understand you are making things up..

Understand whatever you like...

[garyh]

Interesting story, but only serves as a warning that arms are easily assessible, and we should do everything we can to stay safe.

SO you plan to build an underground bunker and stay there?

[smallpotato]

Guessing that there is no goverment to government end-user certificate, we all have reason to fear if stuff like this can freely exit North Korea.

It would be interesting to know where it was made; NK or another country.

Edited December 13, 2009 by smallpotato

[ferd54]

I have heard from a reliable source at Don Muang that the plane was forced to land.

It seems to me that if it was forced to land, it would have been forced to land a U-Tapao or possibly the giant airbase at Lopburi, not in a crowded megalopolis like BKK - Don Mueang. Just conjecture on my part.

[brahmburgers]

Interesting to read what the pilot said. It's probably not all be true, but at least parts of it probably are, as they can be corroborated by several means, like checking with the other airports the pilot said he stopped at earlier.

I first broached the idea on this thread that the Thai air force, from a tip off from Americans, probably forced the plane to land.

Either way, by following the money, authorities will further unravel the scenario. Mobile phone records can reveal a lot also.

[ratcatcher]

N KOREA IMPOUNDED IN BANGKOK

Pilot of impounded plane claims cargo destined for Ukraine

By The Nation, Thai News Agency

The pilot of a military transport aircraft impounded at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport after Thai authorities seized a huge arms cache it carried told police investigators Sunday that the shipment was bound for Ukraine.

Belarussian Mikhail Petukhou told Crime Suppression Division police during a six-hour interrogation that the plane left Ukraine and picked up the goods in North Korea.

En route to Pyongyang, the plane refilled fuel three times - in Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand, said Petukhou.

It would stop for refueling at Don Mueang and Sri Lanka and drop its cargo in Ukraine.

Insisting that he had no knowledge about the war material aboard the aircraft, Petukhou told investigators that he and his four companions were hired to transport goods and that he would only "provide other information in court."

Police are scheduled to escort them to the Criminal Court on Monday to seek further detention for interrogation.

Petukhou and four Kazakh men were apprehended Saturday when Thai authorities seized 35-40 tonnes of military weaponry including rocket-propelled grenades, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition contained in 12 crates from the plane which landed at the airport to refuel.

The seized weapons are being stored at an air force arms depot at Takhli air base in Nakhon Sawan province, police said.

-- The Nation 2009/12/13

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

This is a confusing report. The pilot, under questioning, stated that the plane left Ukraine enroute to Pyongyang(North Korea) and refuelled three times including one stop in Thailand. Then it says it would stop for refuelling at Don Mueang then Sri Lanka on the return journey to Ukraine.

Doesn't really sound credible somehow. Surely they were aware of the likelihood of a search or check of its cargo in Thailand?

Over to the experts