Social media gun flaunting leads to Thai man’s arrest
A man‘s penchant for flaunting firearms on social media led to his arrest at his home in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, where police seized a cache of weapons. The 43 year old, known only as Theerayut, has been building his collection since 2019 by purchasing them through online platforms, including Facebook.
Today, March 21, a coordinated operation led by high-ranking officers from Thailand’s Cyber Police culminated in the raid of Theerayut’s residence. The search warrant, issued by the Samut Sakhon Provincial Court on March 19, enabled police to enter his home in the Om Noi subdistrict of Krathum Baen District, where they discovered and confiscated an assortment of illegal firearms.
The cache included two unregistered handguns and a combination of ten air guns—three designed for short-range and seven for long-range—compatible with lead pellet ammunition. In addition to the weapons, officers found over 60 bullets and more than 50 kilogrammes of lead pellets for air guns, alongside 18 different firearm-related items.
The Cyber Police’s investigative unit had been tracking individuals involved in the illicit online trade of firearms and ammunition. The arrest of Theerayut followed a string of similar apprehensions, with evidence suggesting he had been an active purchaser in the underground arms market.
Upon interrogation, Theerayut admitted to his fascination with collecting guns. He revealed that the unregistered handguns cost him between 10,000 and 12,000 baht (US$280 and US$334) each, while the air guns were acquired for about 4,000 to 5,000 baht (US$111 to US$140) apiece. His collection had gradually expanded over the years, with purchases dating back to 2019 and 2020, reported KhaoSod.
Theerayut now faces charges for the possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition without a permit. He has been handed over to the local police at Krathum Baen for further legal processing.
In related news, police arrested a 55 year old Thai man on February 22 for allegedly peddling drugs to teenagers and harbouring illegal firearms in Naklua, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri.
