PATTAYA, Thailand – A Chinese man has been sentenced to more than 44 years in prison after the Pattaya Provincial Court convicted him of possessing war weapons, explosives and restricted military equipment, including C4 explosives. The court sentenced Mr. Mingchen Sun to 44 years and 24 months in prison and ordered the confiscation of all seized items, including firearms, ammunition, explosives and military-related equipment.
The case began in early May 2026 after a luxury vehicle accident in Sattahip district, Chonburi. Police inspecting the crash site discovered firearms inside the vehicle, leading investigators to expand the investigation to a house in Huai Yai subdistrict, near Pattaya in Banglamung district. During the search, authorities uncovered a large collection of weapons and military equipment. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit was called in to safely inspect and remove the dangerous items.
The seized items included M4 and M16 rifles, handguns, large quantities of ammunition, high-explosive C4, detonators, fragmentation grenades, bulletproof vests, chemical protection masks, radio jamming equipment and communication devices. During the trial, Sun pleaded guilty to all charges. The court found that the offences involved multiple violations under Thailand’s firearms laws, military equipment regulations and radio communication laws.
The court said the seriousness of the case posed potential risks to public safety and national security. Although his sentence was reduced due to his guilty plea, the combined penalties resulted in a prison term of 44 years and 24 months. The confiscation order was issued to prevent the weapons and equipment from being used again for illegal activities. The case highlights how a routine vehicle accident investigation led authorities to uncover a significant weapons cache and bring the suspect through the judicial process.
