The government has pledged to help former Metropolitan Police chief Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, who has been remanded by Japanese police on a weapon possession charge.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai said yesterday the government was closely monitoring Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit's case and will help him as much as it can.
The former police chief has been in Japanese police custody while prosecutors investigate the case against him.
Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit was arrested at Narita International Airport in Tokyo last Monday with a small handgun and ammunition in his carry-on baggage while he was attempting to board a flight back to Thailand.
The former police chief, who owns a waste incineration plant under construction in Pathum Thani, had reportedly gone to Japan to visit a production plant with Tambon Administration Organisation officers to observe its processes of converting waste into electrical power.
Meanwhile, Sakchai Tangho, director-general of the Investigation and Legal Affairs Bureau of the Interior Ministry, yesterday confirmed the gun seized from Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit was a .22 calibre Magnum mini-revolver, manufactured by North American Arms of Provo, Utah.
A preliminary examination found the firearm did not match any one of the 600 registered guns of that type in Thailand, Mr Sakchai said. It was too soon to determine whether the weapon was illegal, he added.
Weapon registration was carried out by hand until 2009, and it was possible some details from the database were missed during the digital transfer, Mr Sakchai said.
Meanwhile, Japanese prosecutors have yet to decide whether to indict Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit as they are waiting for more evidence, national police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday.
Officers in Japan are in the process of testing how powerful the gun seized from Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit is and whether it is legal, he said. A report will be given to prosecutors working on the case.
In Japan, no civilians are allowed to have a gun, Pol Lt Gen Prawut said. Illegal gun possession carries tough penalties in the country, he added.