BUNG KAN: A 53-year-old teacher has been arrested and about 10 unregistered guns and 230 bullets he allegedly bought from Laos or seized from his students over the past five years confiscated.
Uthit Meethaowal was taken into custody at his office in Ban Phonthong Prachasan School, So Phisai district, on Wednesday afternoon after detectives who had followed him saw some weapons when he opened the door, Pol Lt Gen Surachai Kuandachacupt, commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 4, told a news conference at its headquarters in Khon Kaen province on Thursday.
Police later found more weapons in the teacher's vehicle, house and rubber plantation in So Phisai district of Bung Kan province.
The seized weapons included an M16 rifle, a shotgun, a smoke grenade and 146 bullets of .223 calibre.
"The suspect is a teacher who loves war weapons and has trained territorial defence students. The teacher's office and house held a small arsenal," Pol Lt Gen Surachai said. Most of the weapons were hidden in the office.
"The suspect confessed that he either bought them from Laos or seized them from his students," he said
The arrest followed local residents' complaints that the teacher often fired his guns. He was charged with illegal possession of weapons. Investigators would later find out if he had a connection to any political group, Pol Lt Gen Surachai said.