Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

A car crash in Chon Buri has led police to one of the largest private weapons caches uncovered in recent memory, after a 31 year old Chinese national was found with C4 explosives, anti-personnel mines, and two M16 rifles at his rented home.

Mingchen Sun was arrested after his sedan overturned in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district, Chon Buri. Officers found a Glock 26 pistol, two magazines, and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of his rented home revealed a far larger stockpile.

Weapons seized from the vehicle

1. Glock 26 pistol – 1
2. Glock 26 magazines – 2
3. 9mm ammunition – 10 rounds
4. M16 magazine – 1
5. 5.56mm ammunition – 28 rounds
6. Concealed carry holster – 1

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

Weapons seized from the property

1. M16 rifles – 2
2. M16 magazines – 9
3. 5.56mm ammunition – 763 rounds
4. C4 explosive (boxed) – 2,486.4 grams
5. C4 explosive (blocks) – 1,173 grams
6. Russian POMZ-2 anti-personnel stake mines – 4
7. BA/WA thrown anti-personnel grenades – 4
8. K75 South Korean thrown grenades – 1
9. M6/01 Burmese thrown grenades – 1
10. Electric detonators – 7
11. POMZ-2 mine fuze housings – 3
12. POMZ-2 safety pins – 2
13. Remote detonation receiver/transmitter sets – 2
14. Bulletproof vests – 3
15. Gas masks – 2
16. Gas mask filter cartridges – 6
17. Petrol (20-litre containers) – 4 containers (80 litres total)

Pol Maj Gen Pongphan Wongmaneetat, commander of Chon Buri provincial police, visited the scene and instructed investigators from Na Jomtien police to catalogue all seized items. Forensic teams from Chon Buri Region 2 were also called in for a detailed evidence sweep.

Pongphan said the case is being investigated across all dimensions of national security on the orders of Royal Thai Police chief Pol Gen Kittirat Panphet. He declined to disclose further details about the weapons to avoid compromising the investigation.

Police said they had not yet established a link between the stockpile and any planned attack, but investigations into the origin of the weapons are ongoing. A psychiatrist will also be brought in to assess Sun, who is reported to have depression, to determine whether the condition is genuine.

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

Background on the suspect

Sun first entered Thailand in 2020 on a tourist visa and had travelled in and out of the country frequently since. He most recently entered on January 27 this year on a re-entry permit tied to a long-term visa valid for five years. He had been renting the property for around two years at 38,000 baht per month.

Investigators found that Sun held both Chinese and Cambodian passports, as well as a non-Thai national ID card. He was registered as a resident at an address in Khlong Sam Wa district, Bangkok, having transferred his registration from Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai, in November 2023. He also held a 13-digit Thai national ID number. Police are now examining how he obtained these documents.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said Sun had always seemed friendly and approachable. On learning about the cache, the neighbour said they were shocked, adding that had anything detonated, the whole community would have been at risk, reported KhaoSod.

Photo courtesy of Sondhi Talk

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