Chonburi, Pattaya police gun raid misfires

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Pattaya and Chonburi police targeting potentially violent opponents to this summer’s elections raided a South Pattaya commercial building, but found only legally registered weapons, a gun repairman and no connection to the July ballot.

Surachit Wirojwong of Chantaburi was taken into custody by city and provincial police May 31. Officers seized a 44-caliber Winchester rifle, 22-caliber Calico submachine gun, a 44-caliber revolver and bullets for the handgun.

Police have arrested alleged gun repairman Surachit Wirojwong and confiscated a cache of weapons, but so far no charges have been filed. Police have arrested alleged gun repairman Surachit Wirojwong and confiscated a cache of weapons, but so far no charges have been filed.

Surachit said he was a repairman trained to service guns and that the weapons belonged to friends. All the weapons were legally registered, he added.

He denied any criminal intent and, searching his premises, police found no link to any illegal activity or connection to the July 3 election. Still, they took him to Pattaya police station until the man’s story could be verified.