Rocket Launcher, Ammo Found In Bangkok: Police

[webfact]

Rocket launcher, ammo found in Bangkok: police

BANGKOK, October 8, 2010 (AFP) - Thai police said Friday they had recovered a rocket launcher and ammunition in a rented room in central Bangkok, where there has been a series of grenade blasts in recent weeks.

The owner of the property discovered the arms cache after the tenant failed to pay the rent, said Police Colonel Ekachai Boonvisut.

"One rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, four RPG rockets and 750 AK-47 bullets were found in a small room and have already been handed over to the ordnance department," he said.

A string of minor blasts in Bangkok and a bomb explosion Tuesday at an apartment on the outskirts of the capital that killed four people have added to unease about security following deadly opposition protests in April and May.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-10-08

[Pib]

Maybe just home protection until the alarm system could be installed?

[webfact]

Weapons found near former headquarters of Pheu Thai party

An RPG launcher and four rockets were found last night in a rented room near the old Pheu Thai Party headquarters near the Saphan Lueng area, off Bangkok's Rama IV Road. The weapons were collected safely by police ordnance personnel.

An unconfirmed news report also mentioned the discovery of hundreds of AK-47 bullets at the same site.

-- The Nation 2010-10-08

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

How long will it take Jatuporn to say the weapons depot belongs to Newin?

[rubl]

Probably a leftover from the 'high-life' in May. Check when the room was rented to the guy now failing to paid the rent.

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

[webfact]

War Weapons Found in Residence of Pheu Thai Party Employee

Bangrak Police have raided the home of an employee working for the Pheu Thai Party headquarters and discovered a number of war-related weapons.

Bangrak Police, along with a bomb disposal squad, performed a raid on a room in a two story commercial building on Soi Kijpanich on Rama 4 Road.

The building is situated near the Pheu Thai Party's old headquarters.

Inside the room, police found rocket-propelled grenades or RPG, AKA guns, four grenades and 750 AK-47 rifle bullets.

According to the owner of the building, the room was being rented to a middle-aged man named Uthen since May 27.

The man lived alone and said he worked for the Pheu Thai Party head office.

The owner said that the man has not turned up since August 30th, so he had his staff break into the room.

It was then that the weapons were found.

The authorities are searching for the man and may further interrogate the owner for more leads.

-- Tan Network 2010-10-08

[evanson]

And so a lesson to all you wannabe terrorists out there, don't draw attention to yourself by not paying the rent.

[whybother]

Probably a leftover from the 'high-life' in May. Check when the room was rented to the guy now failing to paid the rent.

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

They must have mentioned the old PTP head quarters because they heard that the owner said the renter said he worked at the PTP office. They just failed to mention that in the original article. Thai journalism.

[rubl]

Probably a leftover from the 'high-life' in May. Check when the room was rented to the guy now failing to paid the rent.

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

They must have mentioned the old PTP head quarters because they heard that the owner said the renter said he worked at the PTP office. They just failed to mention that in the original article. Thai journalism.

I already read on another site that k. Jatuporn made the subtle suggestion that those weapons might have been planted by the government to blame either PTP or UDD (or both) who obviously are totally innocent as they only engage in peaceful actions

[Skywalker69]

Welcome to "Bangdad"

[craigt3365]

Probably a leftover from the 'high-life' in May. Check when the room was rented to the guy now failing to paid the rent.

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

They must have mentioned the old PTP head quarters because they heard that the owner said the renter said he worked at the PTP office. They just failed to mention that in the original article. Thai journalism.

I already read on another site that k. Jatuporn made the subtle suggestion that those weapons might have been planted by the government to blame either PTP or UDD (or both) who obviously are totally innocent as they only engage in peaceful actions

Ya gotta love Jatuporn. What a bunch of rubbish he spouts. Does anybody really believe him? I guess some do...

They also said:

Police would from now pay more attention to houses and apartments for rent which might have been used for illegal purposes.

Funny....

[rubl]

Probably a leftover from the 'high-life' in May. Check when the room was rented to the guy now failing to paid the rent.

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

They must have mentioned the old PTP head quarters because they heard that the owner said the renter said he worked at the PTP office. They just failed to mention that in the original article. Thai journalism.

I already read on another site that k. Jatuporn made the subtle suggestion that those weapons might have been planted by the government to blame either PTP or UDD (or both) who obviously are totally innocent as they only engage in peaceful actions

Ya gotta love Jatuporn. What a bunch of rubbish he spouts. Does anybody really believe him? I guess some do...

They also said:

Police would from now pay more attention to houses and apartments for rent which might have been used for illegal purposes.

Funny....

Might be a new question on the rental form:

purpose of renting:

live / work&live / work / bomb-making / illegal activities / other

(please underline applicable purpose)

[Zzinged]

haha... they called it a raid.

I thought the landlord broke into the room, discovered the weapons and called the cops to come pick it up. Calling it a raid implied that the police did some work and used the intel they gathered to locate and secure the stash of weapons

[Insight]

And so a lesson to all you wannabe terrorists out there, don't draw attention to yourself by not paying the rent.

This is the odd bit for sure.

[Buchholz]

Coming on the heels of the Red Bomber blowing himself up in his apartment, it's a shame this PTP guard couldn't have managed to fatally shoot himself while cleaning his AK-47 in his apartment.

[TAWP]

And so a lesson to all you wannabe terrorists out there, don't draw attention to yourself by not paying the rent.

Indeed, or like other real case, when a car rigged with explosives was noticed since it was parked without the bomber putting a few coins in the meter and a meter maid about to ticket it. (This was not in Thailand.)

Someone being cheap foiled their bigger plan.

[Buchholz]

As for the rocket-propelled grenade ( RPG ) found near the former headquarters of the Pheu Thai Party, an investigation is now underway; however, the case would not be transferred to the DSI, as the agency had already been snowed under with a number of cases, according to Mr. Abhisit.

-- NNT 2010-10-11

[SergeiY]

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

Some other area of town could be described as the neighborhood of Abhisits home. Plenty newsworthy stories happen in that vicinity. good for a catchy headline or teaser.

[Buchholz]

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

The earlier headline was prophetic in that it was a PTP employee who lived near PTP headquarters who had the arsenal of deadly weapons.

I guess it's not been posted yet, but the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday issued an arrest warrant for him, Suksan Rungviren.

[Crushdepth]

Inside the room, police found rocket-propelled grenades or RPG, AKA guns, four grenades and 750 AK-47 rifle bullets.

According to the owner of the building, the room was being rented to a middle-aged man named Uthen since May 27.

The man lived alone and said he worked for the Pheu Thai Party head office.

Well, the shit is really starting to stick to PTP isn't it? Between this and the link to the bomber who managed to blow himself up they are starting to smell pretty amazingly bad.

[hyperdimension]

Well, the shit is really starting to stick to PTP isn't it? Between this and the link to the bomber who managed to blow himself up they are starting to smell pretty amazingly bad.

How could anyone still want to vote for these guys? It would be interesting to know how much support for them and the UDD throughout Thailand have dropped after news of these recent incidents.

[Buchholz]

PS To mention that the room is located near the old PTP head quarters is distracting and/or suggestive. Unless it's purely mentioned so people can more easily envision the location

The earlier headline was prophetic in that it was a PTP employee who lived near PTP headquarters who had the arsenal of deadly weapons.

I guess it's not been posted yet, but the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday issued an arrest warrant for him, Suksan Rungviren.

and now he's turned himself in:

The suspect in the RPG case has turned himself in

BANGKOK, 13 October 2010 (NNT) – The owner of the rocket-propelled grenade(RPG) found in an apartment near the Phue Thai Party headquarters has turned himself in. He denied all charges.

Suksant Rangwiren, who is said to have been the owner of the RPG discovered in an apartment near the Opposition headquarters, yesterday turned himself in to the police in Chumphon province.

He, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying he rented the apartment when he was working as a security guard at the Party; but quit and went back to his hometown of Sakon Nakorn last May. When he found out that he had been wanted by the police, he turned himself in.

The accused has been charged with illegal possession of war weapons and held at the Bangrak police station for further interrogation.

-- NNT 2010-10-13

[Buchholz]

Arms Suspect Surrenders to Police

The city police are preparing to extend their probe after a suspect in the illegal arms possession case at an apartment room near the former Pheu Thai Party headquarters turned himself in to the Chumphon police before he was brought to Bangkok for further interrogation.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Chakthip Chaichinda revealed that Suksan Rungwiren, a suspect in the illegal arms possession case, is being detained in Bangkok.

Suksan rented an apartment room near the former Pheu Thai Party headquarters, where an RPG rocket launcher, grenades, as well as AK-47 bullets were found.

The apartment owner found the weapons when the room was inspected after Suksan disappeared.

The suspect turned himself in to the Chumphon police earlier before being transferred to the Bang Rak police station in Bangkok and detained there.

Investigators are preparing to charge him and carry out further interrogation to find more accomplices in the crime.

-- Tan Network 2010-10-13

[animatic]

The flies are beginning to buzz around the necrotic corpse of PTP.

And as body parts fall off like leprous scales, and analysis shows their true carbuncular nature, and connections to other boils on the body politic, the true face of PTP is becoming clearer to most cogent observers.

Edited October 13, 2010 by animatic

[rubl]

I can only hope that the police did their job properly and checked for fingerprints on the RPG's, ammunition found. Since k. Suksak hadn't been seen in/near the room for months it's difficult to prove he stored the stuff. Regarding his background and PTP's stand on 'peaceful' he may be the one, it may seem likely, but proof is what we need. Now we have circumstantial evidence at the most, and unlikely to impress a court.

[moe666]

These guys are like the Keystone cops, the cops and the political parties. keeping guns near the political party headquarters. Then you have the bozos who come back from Cambodia trained as killers and they all stay at the same resort. These guys need to watch the 47ronin they may learn how to plan and carry out a plot over 7 years without being found out.

[Buchholz]

I can only hope that the police did their job properly and checked for fingerprints on the RPG's, ammunition found. Since k. Suksak hadn't been seen in/near the room for months it's difficult to prove he stored the stuff. Regarding his background and PTP's stand on 'peaceful' he may be the one, it may seem likely, but proof is what we need. Now we have circumstantial evidence at the most, and unlikely to impress a court.

The time-lines don't agree. The landlord said he opened the room because it had not been used since the end of August. The suspect says he left the room in May. I could understand a landlord opening the room if the tenant had missed a 2 months rent (presuming first of the month payments), but I doubt he would have waited 5 months before opening the room.

Of course, the ultimate will be fingerprints and more definitive evidence.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

Despite being now identified as the last tenant in the apartment where a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, grenades, and an AK-47 with hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found, Suksan is still maintaining that he left the apartment in May.

[rubl]

Despite being now identified as the last tenant in the apartment where a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, grenades, and an AK-47 with hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found, Suksan is still maintaining that he left the apartment in May.

The 'despite' suggests more than it can deliver. Both 'last tenant' and 'left the apartment in May' can be true at the same time. With Suksan's background and affiliation his involvement in RPG's may seem logical, but is circumstantial evidence at the best. Only CCTV coverage or fingerprints on the RPG's or ammo would be a real proof.

[Buchholz]

Despite being now identified as the last tenant in the apartment where a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, grenades, and an AK-47 with hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found, Suksan is still maintaining that he left the apartment in May.

The 'despite' suggests more than it can deliver. Both 'last tenant' and 'left the apartment in May' can be true at the same time. With Suksan's background and affiliation his involvement in RPG's may seem logical, but is circumstantial evidence at the best. Only CCTV coverage or fingerprints on the RPG's or ammo would be a real proof.

Agreed it's certainly not conclusive at this point, but the disparity between the landlord and the accused's time frame claims is very suspect. If the accused did leave in May and was the last tenant, then the arsenal has been there the whole time.

Difficult to believe that they would have gone unnoticed during any visit to the room by the landlord or his staff during the 5 months it would have been unoccupied by the tenant.

Most inexpensive apartment building apartments are monitored by their owners fairly closely. There's also been no mention of any other occupants for the apartment during that time. As a business, most landlords wouldn't go that long a time without checking on the room.

Still, as of now, it's yet to be determined what exactly was going on in the "loaded for bear" room.