Pattaya man arrested for turning blank guns into live weapons
Officers seize homemade guns, ammo, and tools in surprise search
Police in Pattaya arrested a man during a pre-dawn raid after discovering he was illegally modifying and selling firearms from a rented room in the city.
The suspect, identified as 27 year old Chatchawan Inmongkol from Sisaket province, was arrested at 6.36am yesterday, November 4, following a raid at 62/157 Soi Kopai 14.
Acting on a court-issued search warrant and a tip-off from an informant, a joint task force, led by Pattaya City Police Chief Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyu and Bang Lamung District Officer Nathaphop Yomchinda, launched the pre-dawn operation.
Inside the small rented room, police found a disturbing cache of weapons and tools used for manufacturing firearms. Seized items included three modified blank-firing pistols turned into live firearms, 42 rounds of .380 ACP ammunition, more than 10 gun barrels, a drill press, an electric drill, a bench grinder, a vise, and various hand tools. Two more modified guns were discovered hidden in the bathroom ceiling.
Chatchawan, who was with his girlfriend at the time of the arrest, admitted to being the sole operator of the illegal gun business. He told police he had learned the modification techniques from online video tutorials and ordered gun components via e-commerce platforms. His finished products, he claimed, were “guaranteed to fire like real factory weapons.”
Police said the firearms were being sold online through social media and messaging apps for 13,000 baht each. Chatchawan confessed that several modified guns had already been delivered to customers, many of whom were local youths.
Investigators believe the weapons were being distributed widely and pose a serious public safety risk. Officers are now examining digital records, including payment transactions and chat histories, to trace the buyers and prevent further circulation of the illegal firearms, The Pattaya News reported.
All weapons and related equipment were seized and taken to Pattaya City Police Station. Chatchawan was charged with illegal possession, manufacture, modification, and distribution of firearms and ammunition under the Firearms Act, which carries severe legal penalties in Thailand.
Police said they are continuing to crack down on similar operations to curb the rise in illegal firearms and ensure public safety across Pattaya and surrounding areas.
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