NAKHON PHANOM: A man claiming to be a stringer for a Bangkok Thai-language newspaper has been arrested after a navy patrol found 180 kilogrammes of compressed marijuana in his van, which bore a news logo, near the Mekong River in That Phanom district.
A patrol from the Mekong Riverine Unit (MRU) apprehended Phattanachai Khamphukaew, of Kalasin, along the river bank in tambon Phra Klangthung as he was loading sacks into his van late on Monday night.
The sacks were found to contain 180 bars of compressed marijuana, each weighing one kilogramme, Capt Rit Nathawong, commander of the MRU’s Nakhon Phanom province unit, told a media briefing on Tuesday
He said Mr Phatthanachai, 37, was a van driver who claimed to also work for a newspaper which had an office in Bangkok. He had a reporter's card and his van bore the "news" logo.
According to his reporter's card, he was accredited to a newspaper named Sathon Sangkhom in Bangkok.
During questioning, the suspect said he had no work as a van driver and so used this time to transport drugs for someone who paid him 50,000 baht. The drugs were destined for Bangkok.
He said it was the first time he had done it, but officers were not convinced, Capt Rit said. The seized drugs were worth about 2 million baht.
Over the past month, more than 2 tonnes of marijuana had been seized in Nakhon Phanom province, Capt Rit said.
The Bangkok Post was unable to find any contacts or reference to a newspaper called Sathon Sangkhom, for comment.
Navy officers announce the seizure of 180 kilogrammes of compressed marijuana found in a news van, during a media briefing on Tuesday. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)