UPDATE: Suspect arrested at Pattaya checkpoint with machine gun and illegal drugs found to be involved with jet-ski world champion murder 14 years ago

Pattaya, Banglamung, Chonburi-

Five suspects were arrested at a routine checkpoint in Pattaya this week. Police seized a machine gun, a handgun, bullets and a variety of illegal drugs. One of the suspects had just been released from prison after reportedly being involved with a jet-ski world champion murder 14 years ago.

The Pattaya City Police Chief Colonel Khemmarin Pitsamai told The Pattaya news that on Wednesday, the Pattaya City Police checkpoint was set up on North Pattaya Road in the morning.

During routine operations, a vehicle with five occupants was stopped at the checkpoint.

The driver was found with a handgun loaded with 6 bullets on his waist and an Uzi machine gun loaded with 22 bullets under the driver’s seat.

Four others bullets were found in the car along with 4.7 grams of Ketamine and 20 pills of methamphetamine.

Three male suspects were arrested who were named as Somphong Kaewpaijit, 31, Nattaphon Singboon, 28, and Jakkrit Nongyai, 26.

Two female suspects were also arrested who were named as Ms. Sunisa Jaikla, 28 and Ms. Hathaichanok Odklan, 19.

They were facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as illegal drugs.

Somphong allegedly admitted to police that the illegal items belonged to him. He claimed he had to protect himself from an unknown powerful enemy. He declined to identify who that individual was.

He claimed the illegal drugs he bought from a well-known group in the nightclub in Pattaya. However, the name of the nightclub or group were not released to the press.

Police also found that Somphong had just been released from prison after reportedly being involved with the murder of Mr. Teerawat ‘Oct’ Lahip who was a world jet-ski championship 14 years ago.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for more than four years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.