Man Arrested for Displaying Illegal Firearm in Bangkok
A 59-year-old Bangkok man was arrested for illegally possessing an unregistered .357 Magnum revolver after neighbors reported he was displaying and firing the weapon in the air in Khlong Toei.
At 2:30 p.m. on August 11, 2026, officers from Metropolitan Police Division 5 led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Withawat Chinkam, along with personnel from Tha Ruea Police Station, arrested a 59-year-old man identified as Mr. Prasit at a residence in Khlong Toei, Bangkok. Police seized an unregistered Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver and a black shoulder bag from the suspect.
The operation was conducted following government directives to crackdown on illegal firearm possession, particularly after a recent incident in Nonthaburi province where a youth used a gun to shoot family members and a teacher. Police received complaints from neighbors that the man was displaying the weapon and firing shots into the air, causing alarm in the community.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he is a motorcycle taxi driver who purchased the unregistered firearm for 5,000 baht. He admitted to displaying the gun to neighbors simply to show off, with no intention to cause harm. Police charged him with unlawful possession of a firearm and forwarded the case to prosecutors for legal proceedings.
