Man arrested at Bangkok bus terminal with firearm in backpack
Police arrested a 44 year old man after he was found carrying a firearm and ammunition in his backpack inside the Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok. The incident unfolded at around 11am, yesterday, April 9, after security staff alerted police to a suspicious individual loitering near a metal detector.
Police Colonel Sanong Saengmanee, Superintendent of Bang Sue Police Station, quickly dispatched Deputy Superintendent Woraphat Sukhthai and his team to the scene. Officers identified the man as Kitti and requested permission to search his belongings.
Their suspicions were quickly confirmed. Inside a black shoulder bag hidden within his travel backpack, officers found a loaded .38 Smith & Wesson revolver along with 12 rounds of ammunition. The weapon was immediately confiscated as evidence.
Kitti reportedly admitted to police that the firearm belonged to his father.
“He said he was planning to take it back to his hometown,” one officer stated.
Despite his explanation, police took no chances. Kitti was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as carrying a weapon in public without a valid reason.
“The charges are serious, and he has been handed over to investigators at Bang Sue Police Station for further legal proceedings,” said Pol. Col. Sanong.
The arrest has raised renewed concerns about public safety at major transport hubs in the capital, especially with increased travel expected during the Songkran holiday season. Security has been stepped up at bus terminals, train stations, and airports across Thailand, reported KhaoSod.
Police reminded the public that carrying weapons in public places, even if not intended for harm, is a criminal offence and poses a serious risk to public safety.
The swift action of Mo Chit’s security team and Bang Sue Police has been praised online, with many netizens commenting that the situation could have ended very differently if the weapon had gone undetected.
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