Pathum Police Arrest RPG-Wielding 'Militant'

[Lite Beer]

Pathum Police Arrest RPG-Wielding 'Militant'

By Khaosod English.

BANGKOK: -- The police have suspected that a man who was arrested for trying to smuggle an RPG into Bangkok might be involved in the recent political violence.

Mr. Chinnarat Karnchanavichian was arrested at a police checkpoint in Pathum Thani province in the early hours of 25 January, after police uncovered a number of weapons and military hardware in his vehicle.

The search on his vehicle reportedly turned up 1 AK-47 rifle, 60 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 RPG launcher with ammunition, 2 pocket knives, 1 cellphone, 2 safety helmets, 1 flashlight, and a set of military camouflage uniform.

Mr. Chinnarat told police he had been hired by a military officer to deliver these weapons to another agent on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road in exchange with 5,000 baht reward.

The suspect claimed he did not know the name of the officer who reportedly hired him, or the identity of the agent who was supposed to receive the weapons from him.

Despite many hours police interrogators spent with Mr. Chinnarat, the suspect refused to reveal any additional details, said Pol.Maj.Gen. Methee Kusolsang.

The police have charged Mr. Chinnarat with unauthorised possession of firearms and ammunition.

However, a high-ranking police officer said the police have received reports that Mr. Chinnarat might be one of the armed militants involved in the spree of violence in Bangkok in recent weeks, such as the grenade attacks and shootings on anti-government protesters.

According to the source, Mr. Chinnarat has been assigned to deliver the weapons to other militants, who would use them to cause new violence in the areas of Chaeng Wattana Road and Ladprao district.

Investigation is ongoing.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNU1EY3lOell6TWc9PQ==

-- Khaosod English 2014-01-26

[thailandist]

Whoa! I can't imagine looking out from the BTS as it passes by the protest areas and seeing and RPG fly by.

[LuckyLew]

They caught one ... how many made it thru?

How was he suppose to meet the contact to deliver the goods?

I know nothing ... I see nothing ... I hear nothing

The cell phone must have belonged to Get Smart ... or else how is that a weapon?

[maxme]

A frikking RPG, the NRA has obviously missed a valuable partner and staunch supporter of the second amendment.

[15Peter20]

Hired by a military officer....would that be the same military that the great and good of ThaiVisa trust to protect the interests of the Thai people?

[RWB60]

You can bet there are more of these weapons floating around Bangkok. Protest leaders need to be more careful about being in plain view.

[JoeThePoster]

That hockey stick must be a disguised light saber.

[Dogmatix]

The photograph seems unrelated to the news story. News websites have showed the offender, Mr Chinnarat, sitting in front of his cache of weapons. But what is this photograph?

[GazR]

If the violence escalates significantly Yingluck will have to resign, and if Suthep is shot she's toast.

[kurtgruen]

So why are they posting a picture with people wearing whistles.....What a farce. They have some guy, delivering weapons, to hurt peaceful protesters and they post a picture, inferring that Protesters have something to do with it. If they really wanted to find out, who hired the guy, they would get the info. Thai Police are famous for torturing people for information.

So seeing that the police could not get the info, makes me think, they are covering something up.

Edited January 26, 2014 by kurtgruen

[Thait Spot]

One of Ko Tee's hoodlums?

We shall see

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[suk71]

Correction: Due to an editorial error, this article was originally accompanied by a photo of weapons allegedly found near Banthat Thong Road following a deadly grenade attack on anti-government protesters on 17 January 2014. The mistake has now been fixed.

First I thought it was strange that media would allow to place their mics on top of the evidence. But after seeing the above it made sense.

Also I wonder if the ballistics of that AK-47 matches the bullets fired at the Red-Shirt leader.

[Fat Haggis]

Maybe the Thai Navy SEAL Commander seen this happening too?

Edited January 26, 2014 by Fat Haggis

[tsnyder]

A frikking RPG, the NRA has obviously missed a valuable partner and staunch supporter of the second amendment.

RPG's are the preferred weapon of one shirt color with M-79 Grenade Launchers running second.

Red Shirt Protests, Thailand Latest Developments.

During the clashes on Wednesday night, police seized a haul of weapons from a Red Shirt encampment in Don Muang, Bangkok. A police officer has since been arrested and confessed to supplying the weapons to his clients. The officer confessed to possessing 63 M79 grenades and a number of launchers, that were seized from a motorbike near the national memorial. The officer panicked upon approach to an air force checkpoint, and fled the scene. Rather kindly, he left behind his police ID for investigating officers, along with the motor bike and his stash of weapons.

On Friday night, an ex-police officer and one other suspect were arrested, confessing that they had been hired to carry out an RPG attack on the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Reports suggest that the former border patrol officers wife was a Red Shirt Leader from Pattaya. He was alledgedly paid in the region of 500,000 THB to carry out the attack. A number of M67 grenades were found in the suspects car, upon examination they were found to be from the same batch as grenades used in eight separate attacks.

http://www.adventure...e_rss_feed.html

[jaidam]

Big boss unleashing Chalerm has had a wonderful calming effect on the political situation. But then, that was the whole idea wasn't it.

[3NUMBAS]

theres enough angry taxi driversin BKK to take on the lot of them ,millions have had their livelyhoods brought to a standstill by these suthep mobs .

[MilesofSmiles]

I didn't know there was field hockey played in BKK ?

[Thait Spot]

theres enough angry taxi driversin BKK to take on the lot of them ,millions have had their livelyhoods brought to a standstill by these suthep mobs .

Millions out of 100,000?

Really?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Scamper]

This would appear, on the surface, to remind many of the report that surfaced last week of Cambodian mercenaries, as anyone caught with such an arsenal, who claims to be only an innocent " liason " between two people, but doesn't even know who either of them are - strikes one as highly suspicious as an alibi. Having said that, he and these weapons have been caught, and even according to the police - a line is appearing to being drawn in their narrative between this arrest and the tragic events of last week.

" ... a high-ranking police officer said the police have received reports that Mr. Chinnarat might be one of the armed militants involved in the spree of violence in Bangkok in recent weeks, such as the grenade attacks and shootings on anti-government protesters. "

For a few days now, there appears to have been some shift - some sea change - in the investigations that are being conducted by the police - as doubtless the stern warnings of Prayuth last week for such investigations to be taken seriously - seems to be getting results. And Thaksin's cousin, Surapong, is no longer adding his own two cents towards what he clearly would prefer people to believe. The facts just keep getting in the way.

[SjaakNL2013]

The photograph seems unrelated to the news story. News websites have showed the offender, Mr Chinnarat, sitting in front of his cache of weapons. But what is this photograph?

I think i see often shops like this in the Chinese area. They sell all kind of second hand materials.

[Basil B]

I didn't know there was field hockey played in BKK ?

The photo is the wrong one, see the related news clip, it has been changed.

Also there seems to be a hand grenade not listed.

[ramrod711]

However, a high-ranking police officer said the police have received reports that Mr. Chinnarat might be one of the armed militants involved in the spree of violence in Bangkok in recent weeks, such as the grenade attacks and shootings on anti-government protesters.

No danger of this guy being prosecuted, Tarit and Chalerm will probably give him a medal and a plane ticket to Dubai.

[MobileContent]

I want to know his province so we might guess on which side he is. My guess he is from the South.

[BlueNoseCodger]

The army is made of people, is 80% of Thai people want to vote, then 80% of army want to vote.

[Basil B]

That hockey stick must be a disguised light saber.

No, wrong photo, that was another story, Chalerm's daughter leads St Trinian's girls on tour.

[AleG]

I want to know his province so we might guess on which side he is. My guess he is from the South.

If any of the people caught with grenades and other war weapons in the last few weeks had even the faintest possible link to the anti-government protests the police would be shouting it from the rooftops 24/7.

So far, silence.

Haven't heard anything more neither from the group caught carrying the same type of grenades used in the attacks, nor from the one caught on camera at Victory Monument, one of the suspects was quoted as knowing who he was and were he was hiding but still nothing.

[JohanB]

This is the photo that should be attached to this story

[Fat Haggis]

Home made RPG, and no propellant for the warhead ?

[AleG]

Home made RPG, and no propellant for the warhead ?

The propellant is the upright cylinder between the RPG and the AK-47 ammunition.

[JohanB]

Edited January 26, 2014 by JohanB