DSI seizes war weapons in Surin

BANGKOK, February 23 (TNA) - Officers of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Royal Thai Army and the Border Patrol Police Division have seized a big lot of war weapons in Thailand's northeastern Surin Province, believed to belong to two influential groups. DSI Director-General Tarit Pengdit told journalists Thursday that the war weapons, found on a grassy plot of land beside shop buildings in the Muang Mai Market in Surin's Prasat District include 36 rocket-propelled grenades made in China, 144 grenades made in the United States and designed to be used with launchers and 1,437 rifle bullets. Tarit acknowledged that the weapons might be directed either to local attacks or overseas customers but should have nothing to do with three bomb blasts on Sukhumvit 71 Road in Bangkok on February 14. According to the DSI chief, heavy pressures from the combined security officers apparently forced armed traffickers to leave the weapons during their delivery process and two groups of influential Thai people should be involved with the lot. However, the DSI chief did not disclose the planned delivery route of the war weapons, the source of the seized weapons and the names of the suspected weapon traffickers. Police investigators are checking whether the seized weapons would be delivered to drug traffickers or insurgents in Thailand's troubled southern border region. Colonel Adul Boonthamcharoen, an army representative, said weapon smugglings were rampant along the northeastern border, despite suppression attempts, insisting that the seized weapons do not belong to the Royal Thai Army. (TNA)