A Japanese collector was arrested at Don Mueang airport on Wednesday after rifle magazines and and a disarmed anti-personnel mine were found in his bag while he was queueing to board an aircraft home.
Deputy Tourist Police chief Surachet Hakpal said Takeru Hirano, 27, was detained after an x-ray of his luggage at the airport detected the items.
An examination revealed 13 empty M16 magazines, 8 empty AK-47 magazines and one empty Claymore anti-personnel mine case. They were bought in Vietnam.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said Mr Hiranu arrived in Bangkok from Vietnam on April 25 and had stayed in Pattaya until Wednesday. He was intending to return to Tokyo on a Thai AirAsia X flight when stopped at the airport.
Mr Hirano lives in Saitama prefecture and is a collector of old weapons parts, and said he did not realise Thai law banned carrying them onboard an aircraft, Pol Maj Gen Surachet said.
Police bomb experts were called in to examine the seized items said there were no bullets or explosive matter in any of them and they posed no danger.
Mr Hirano was taken to Don Muang police station where he faced three charges - illegally bringing firearms into the country, attempting to carry explosive devices on board an aircraft and illegal possession of firearms.
The three charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or fine of 80,000 baht if found guilty by a court.
