A man was arrested after leading police on a long car chase across town in Muang district in Trat on Monday night until his vehicle overturned.
From about 9.30 pm, police chased a man driving a Toyota Altis with Chanthaburi plates. Police had been tipped off that he may have been carrying an AK-47 rifle.
The chase wound through a network of connected streets in Muang district. The suspect stopped from time to time and police would tell him to get out and surrender, but each time he took off again.
The pursuit continued for over an hour until the suspect entered Soi Thanon Din Daeng and sped up to escape police. The car then flipped over and came to rest upside down on the road.
The driver, identified as Chamlong Sethniyom, aged 40-45, was found to be under the influence. A search of his car turned up 20,000 baht in cash, but no weapon was found.
Police also found a summons issued by Dan Chumpol police station in Trat's Bo Rai district for Mr Chamlong relating to a charge of trespassing.
A breathalyser test showed him to be over the legal limit of alcohol. He was taken to Muang Trat police station to await legal action.
Investigators were searching back along the chase route, suspecting he might have thrown away a weapon.
According to police, Mr Chamlong, locally known as Suea Men, was sent to jail on drugs and weapons charges about 10 years ago. Since his release he has had no permanent job.
