A former army private was arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima province in possession of a large quantity of weapons and ammunition in a raid on a house in Muang district on Tuesday, Pol Lt Gen Detnarong Suthichanbancha, the acting chief of Region 4 Provincial Police, said.
Pol Lt Gen Detnarong said the raid was carried out by a joint team of Region 4 police and soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division.
Noppadol Phetmadan, a former army private, was arrested in the raid on House No 210/3 on Ratchanukul road. Found in the house were two M16 rifles, two AK47 rifles, one M79 grenade launcher, three machine guns, three anti-personnel hand grenades, 18,000 rounds of M16 and AK47 ammunition, two bullet-proof vests and many other articles.
The arrest followed the interrogation of 26 suspects arrested earlier in Khon Kaen province for allegedly forming an armed unit for insurgency operations under the so-called "Khon Kaen model".
Pol Lt Gen Detnarong said Noppadol admitted under questioning he had contacted the group of 26 suspects to sell them weapons.
He was believed to be a member of an arms trading network operating in the Central, North and Northeast regions.