Thai Police searching for firearms 'looted' by protesters

[MMarlow]

6 'personal' weapons belonging to police officers? What were officers doing carrying non-issued weapons? What was the intention if carrying weapons that were not issued to them?

Thai police officers generally have to provide or pay for their own firearms, that's what.

[Scamper]

Khaosod ought to include the photo of the men in black - identified by the chief of police as policemen - firing on the protesters. One policeman and one protester were killed that day. That is the news story that the police - and Khaosod - desperately want to cover up. The police claiming to have lost some armaments is the one they want to press. There is nothing wrong with opinion articles. But articles that actually purport to be the news need to include interview representation from both sides. It's called twentieth-century journalism. ( Actually it's called twenty-first century journalism, but first steps first. )

Edited January 10, 2014 by Scamper

[MMarlow]

weapons when not in use are supposed to be locked in a gun locker in a secure location along with ammunition, not a glove box , whats even stranger is that there were no reports of this until yesterday (apart from the idiot captains)when police claimed that their would be violence at the protests. Sounds very much like the police are trying to set someone up now, they just didnt realize how stupid they look by what they are claiming. Also since when has bringing privately owned guns to work to use been legal, do the boys want to do a dirty harry and have their magnums, "the most powerful handgun" in their holsters so they look "mean", what a laugh.....

"since when has bringing privately owned guns to work to use been legal,"

Most, if not all, sidearms used by Thai police officers in the course of their duty are privately owned, they are not issued automatically by the RTP.

[recom273]

6 'personal' weapons belonging to police officers? What were officers doing carrying non-issued weapons? What was the intention if carrying weapons that were not issued to them?

Your trying to make a mountain out of a molehill .. In Thaland, it would be considered perfectly acceptable to provide your own kit, be it a bag, Honda wave or handgun. The report doesn't say these weren't registered, non-issued nor non-approved, it says they were personal items of the police officers.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Ulic]

That picture and the stolen guns don't make things look so peaceful to me.

[jaiyen]

Will you all please read the first sentence in the article. It says that the weapons are alleged to have been stolen by protestors. Nothing has been confirmed.

[Thait Spot]

6 'personal' weapons belonging to police officers? What were officers doing carrying non-issued weapons? What was the intention if carrying weapons that were not issued to them?

Thai police officers generally have to provide or pay for their own firearms, that's what.

So, in the event of police and protesters being shot, who accounts for weapons at the scene? and who accounts for shots being fired?

Seems to me to be a free for all with no police accountability

[Frank James]

I most professional police forces around the world, losing your weapon is a very grave offense. I can't imagine how all of these firearms were left unsecured, in what was already a dangerous situation.

[Emptyset]

Khaosod ought to include the photo of the men in black - identified by the chief of police as policemen - firing on the protesters. One policeman and one protester were killed that day. That is the news story that the police - and Khaosod - desperately want to cover up. The police claiming to have lost some armaments is the one they want to press. There is nothing wrong with opinion articles. But articles that actually purport to be the news need to include interview representation from both sides. It's called twentieth-century journalism. ( Actually it's called twenty-first century journalism, but first steps first. )

Why would they include that picture that's already been discusssed to death again as though it has any relevance at all to this story? Khao Sod and the police are not 'desperate' to cover up that there were police on top of the building. In fact, police admitted they were police up there, took journalists onto the top of the building, provided more details. And the only thing the video showed police firing was tear gas. It's unfortunate that they decided to deny it at first because it raises these suspicions and people will keep going on about "men in black" on the building killing protesters and police, even when it's been debunked ad infinitum already.

[Longtooth]

6 'personal' weapons belonging to police officers? What were officers doing carrying non-issued weapons? What was the intention if carrying weapons that were not issued to them?

Thai Police are permitted to purchase their own sidearms. Nothing unusual there.

Beat me to it Empty

Correction:

Members of the RTP are "permitted" to buy their sidearms?

No way!

They are obliged to buy them, there is no issuing of pistols or revolvers by the state.

Any gunshop have pistols and revolvers for sale classified as private sales or classified as articles to be sold to government officers.

The latter are cheaper (less tax), and also a government loan is available, repayable through salary deductions.

"Group weapons", like riot guns or guns firing gas, sometimes but not always, are issued by the government.

However, many policemen have personal scatterguns, or .22 backup sidearms, bought and paid for by themselves.

Just by the by, I heard civilians can only buy up to .38 caliber, and probably not .357 magnum. Police can buy .45 caliber, or even .454 Cassol if they feel like packing it around all day. I've seen a lot of .45 auto short barrel on police. No reloading allowed in Thailand. Hoops to jump through to buy ammo, same as to buy a gun. It's probably coming to America the same.

[BrooklynNY]

Police who cries wolf (over and over again).

I wonder whether police could remember those stories they have fabricated.

Khun Suthape's keeps reminding protesters in his nightly speeches to have discipline to stay on defensive terms by not fighting back if attacked by police and reds. They are reminded to stay alert, to keep a look out for any one who looks suspicious. There will be prayer books given to the protesters on the 13th of January in a case of attack, they are asked to sit down and pray not to fight back.

[Prbkk]

6 'personal' weapons belonging to police officers? What were officers doing carrying non-issued weapons? What was the intention if carrying weapons that were not issued to them?

Thai Police are permitted to purchase their own sidearms. Nothing unusual there.

Beat me to it Empty

Correction:

Members of the RTP are "permitted" to buy their sidearms?

No way!

They are obliged to buy them, there is no issuing of pistols or revolvers by the state.

Any gunshop have pistols and revolvers for sale classified as private sales or classified as articles to be sold to government officers.

The latter are cheaper (less tax), and also a government loan is available, repayable through salary deductions.

"Group weapons", like riot guns or guns firing gas, sometimes but not always, are issued by the government.

However, many policemen have personal scatterguns, or .22 backup sidearms, bought and paid for by themselves.

Just by the by, I heard civilians can only buy up to .38 caliber, and probably not .357 magnum. Police can buy .45 caliber, or even .454 Cassol if they feel like packing it around all day. I've seen a lot of .45 auto short barrel on police. No reloading allowed in Thailand. Hoops to jump through to buy ammo, same as to buy a gun. It's probably coming to America the same.

I'm glad I come from a country in which a magnum is an ice-cream ( not very tasty but pretty harmless). This gun talk is scary.

[aussieinthailand]

Those responsible for the security of the fire arms should be sacked on the spot. They have now created a very unsafe situation for the public. That said I do not believe for one second that the van was looted by protestors nor were the weapons taken by protestors, they are firmly in the hands of police or hired henchmen who will instigate violence and killings.

Eee by gum, in the good old days of Ghenkis Khan an official or soldier was boiled alive for losing his weapon, things aren't what they used to be, we need to get back to some good old fashioned standards.

Amazing... Photo after photo after news clip of Protester's smashing police cars and various building's, and you say,,,

"I don't believe for one second the van was looted by protesters nor were weapon's taken by protesters"

You taking the p*ss aren't you? Blind Freddy can see what's these thugs are doing exactly that, smashing public property and looting what ever they can find.

Just what will it take for you to see what is right in front of you???

[Emptyset]

Those responsible for the security of the fire arms should be sacked on the spot. They have now created a very unsafe situation for the public. That said I do not believe for one second that the van was looted by protestors nor were the weapons taken by protestors, they are firmly in the hands of police or hired henchmen who will instigate violence and killings.

Eee by gum, in the good old days of Ghenkis Khan an official or soldier was boiled alive for losing his weapon, things aren't what they used to be, we need to get back to some good old fashioned standards.

Amazing... Photo after photo after news clip of Protester's smashing police cars and various building's, and you say,,,

"I don't believe for one second the van was looted by protesters nor were weapon's taken by protesters"

You taking the p*ss aren't you? Blind Freddy can see what's these thugs are doing exactly that, smashing public property and looting what ever they can find.

Just what will it take for you to see what is right in front of you???

Haha. Jim should follow the FB page of protest supporter Michael Yon. He followed the protesters to the vans and watched them loot them. But if Jim saw Yon say that, he'd probably say that Yon was just another foreign journalist bought by Thaksin.

[bunny11kk]

This is absolutely beyond belief. So now more gungho <deleted> are in possession of guns <deleted>

Are you serious? If they want to get guns (which is not difficult in Thailand), they need to buy it but not get if from the police van just like that. I rather believe in they get it from Santa Claus.

[Tycoon]

What the hell was the air pistol for ??? take out pigeons ??

[asean]

There were no gun or ammunition in the minivan.

[lostmebike]

They seem to be trying to pin every negative thing on the protesters. It would be nice to know how many illegal arms smuggling has been done buy Thai police and military for side money.

Too many to mention.

Like the corrupt 'directors' of office in LOS, it's probably expected of them, like they've earned it. Perks of the job and all that crap.

[jonnit]

I saw the following clip of the looting on YouTube a few days ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-PQ6Qlo7VU