Military and police seized a substantial cache of war weapons in a raid of a company belonging to former red-shirt leader Wutthipong Kotthammakul, alias Ko Tee, in Lam Look Ka district of Pathum Thani Saturday morning.
The seized illegal weapons included several M16 assault rifles, an M79 grenade launcher and a large quantity of ammunition.
Informed military sources said that the officials invoked Section 44 to search Thai Max Group Company, located in Village 6 in Tambon Khu Kot, Lam Look Ka district, which was owned by Ko Tee, a former red-shirt leader who was believed to be behind violent attacks of anti-government protesters over three years ago.
Ko Tee who was wanted on several criminal charges has escaped the country.
Lt-Gen Apirat Kongsompong, commander of the First Army Region, said Saturday that he was awaiting for a report from investigators regarding the real motive of those who store the war weapons and whether they are the same group of people who made threats against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.
During the raid, the officials arrested a caretaker of the company, identified as Thirachai Udonchien who admitted that he received the weapons from Ko Tee’s community radio station some time ago.
But officials suspected there might be more weapons hiding somewhere by Ko Tee’s gang.
War weapons seized from red-shirt leader Ko Tee?s company in Pathum Thani - Thai PBS English News