Military headquarters has check with the Third Army but has been unable to obtain any more details on the report on war weapons seized in Tachilek and does not know if they are linked to an alleged plot to assassinate former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, deputy army spokesman Col Winthai Suwari said on Monday.
Col Winthai said the Third Army was trying to get additional information from Myanmar police who seized the weapons, which were said to include rocket-propelled grenades (RPG).
On Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung's claim that some Thai people had hired a Shan man to assassinate Thaksin, who is due to visit Myanmar this week, the deputy spokesman said it was not the responsibility of the Thai police or the Third Army's Pha Muang Force to find out because the suspect was arrested by Myanmar police.
"We have to admit that there are a large number of war weapons in the border area and they are frequently seized. Recently a big lot of war weapons were captured in Chiang Rai because the area serves as a base for minority groups and drugs may also be involved.
"Therefore, these [minority groups] need to have weapons to protect themselves and put up resistance against the authorities. So there are arms seizures in the North.
"The army has instructed all seven of its border defence forces to remain on alert," Col Winthai said.