War weapons easy to obtain

[Flashermac]

Bangkok Post

[color:green]St Paddy's Day[/color]

 

 

 

It is not a rare occurrence for war weapons to be found in police raids, but the caches uncovered in Ayutthaya province and Samut Prakan held new surprises about this deadly trade. [color:red]For many years it has been widely assumed that seized rifles, grenade launchers and ammunition were of military origin. But the weekend busts of what appeared to be front operations indicate that many of the weapons on the streets today are brand new.[/color] Parts to assemble hundreds of grenade launchers have been found; presumably thousands more remain to be discovered.

 

The police raids discovered boxes of parts for grenade launchers, direct copies of the US-made M79 weapon introduced in the 1960s and widely used in the Vietnam War. The simple and effective weapons fire a small and deadly 40mm grenade several hundred metres. They are simple to use, easy to hide and capable of death and destruction in a wide circle. Many of the explosives used in Bangkok in recent years have been grenades fired from M79s, called "bloop guns" because of the dull but distinctive report given off when the low-speed projectile leaves the shotgun-like barrel. A 40mm grenade caused the damage at the main Bangkok Bank building on Silom Road recently, and it reportedly was the weapon used to attack the office of army chief Anupong Paojinda.

 

The police raids at the weekend indicated a large and organised effort to make and traffic these weapons. At the small Fuji Auto Parts factory in Ayutthaya province, the raiding party found 600 completed parts for M79 launchers, plus another 5,000 parts buried in the shop's front yard.

 

A day later, in twin raids on Siam Kentech Engineering and P&B Pass companies in Bang Bo district of Samut Prakan, more weapons parts were found. Police believe the Samut Prakan factories were making parts of weapons for the assembly operation in Ayutthaya. Legal charges have already been filed.

 

The finds present yet another challenge to public security and keeping the peace throughout Thailand. Thefts and leaks from military armouries have been bad enough. The report on March 7 that 6,000 weapons, explosives and shells had gone missing from the Phatthalung military armoury sparked a minor panic.

 

Now, with non-military "businesses" making and selling deadly weapons willy-nilly, there can only be another dip in public confidence.

 

It is essential that police quickly get to the bottom of the arms trafficking exposed last weekend. The government must keep the public informed. Questions quickly arise. How could such an operation exist and not draw any attention? How many weapons were sold by the operation, and to whom? Do police believe there are other such operations churning out war weapons for the black market?

 

The ease in finding war weapons has long been known. It became obvious in the most deadly manner in Bangkok on the eve of New Year 2007. Eight explosions from grenades and bombs killed three innocent people and wounded dozens of others, and ended New Year's Eve festivities before they even began.

 

To date, no one has been arrested for those blasts.

 

The idea that some of the hundreds of small machine shops around the country are moonlighting by making military weapons hardly builds confidence. With the country split politically and fears of violence palpable, it is disquieting to learn just how easy it is to obtain, and indeed to build, such fearsome weapons.

 

It should be an urgent task of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to keep the country informed of developments in this case.

 

 

[Flashermac]

On the positive side, it is NOT easy to manufacture the ammunition.

 

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

On the positive side, it is NOT easy to manufacture the ammunition.

 

 

 

 

To make a grenade launcher or the outer part for a grenade takes about the same skill in my opinion. Making it operational takes more skill.

 

As for the grenade shell, that probably could be casted which is something Thais are good at doing.

[Faustian]

Worrying though.

 

Odd how no one ever gets arrested for these detonations. You'd think there'd be more witnesses, but it appears they operate with impunity.

[Julian2]

Be curious to see how many conscripts will take their guns and go home to Isaan if civil war comes.

[Flashermac]

Maybe half a dozen?