Man arrested with explosives at Pathumwan intersection

Man arrested with explosives at Pathumwan intersection

Police checking for political link after discovery of home-made items in SUV

A scope and home-made weapons are among the items seized from a vehicle at the Pathumwan intersection on Friday. (Royal Thai Police photo)
A scope and home-made weapons are among the items seized from a vehicle at the Pathumwan intersection on Friday. (Royal Thai Police photo)

A man was arrested on Friday with a number of explosives in his car, and police are trying to find out whether the incident was politically linked.

The arrest took place after Pathumwan police on patrol ordered a man to pull over his SUV as it was moving erratically in a lane at the Pathumwan intersection in central Bangkok, said Pol Maj Gen Piya Tawichai, the deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

When the officers checked inside the car, they found pipes wrapped with tape that looked like home-made bombs, home-made pistols, low-pressure explosive substances and a scope.

Pichet Khunkamhaeng, 43, was taken to the Pathumwan police station for interrogation after he gave only vague responses while being questioned at the scene. Police bomb experts were called in to take a closer look at the seized items, he said.

Psychiatrists from Police General Hospital were at the station to talk to the man as there was some concern he might have psychological problems.

The deputy chief said initial information indicated the man’s purposes for carrying firearms did not appear to be politically motivated.

The interrogation was still under way on Friday evening.

Police bomb squad experts have been called in to take a closer look at the seized items. (Royal Thai Police photo)

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