Police and soldiers on Thursday searched the godown in Bangkok's Rat Burana district which sold scrap metal containing old munitions to a factory in Nonthaburi, and found nothing illegal.
One of the shells exploded and seriously injured a worker using a blowtorch to cut it up at the Thai Compressed and Steel Scraps Co factory on Soi Saengpratheep in tambon Laharn of Bang Bua Thong district around 7.30pm on Wednesday.
Police and an explosive ordnance disposal team sent to the scene found 417 old artillery shells and casings among the scrap metal in the yard. Some were still live.
The factory owner, Wichuda Kengrungruangchai, 55, told police she had bought the three tonnes of scrap from a godown in Bangkok’s Rat Burana district. She was not aware there were old munitions among it.
The search team reported finding no illicit items or explosives at Sinkiat Watana godown on Soi Rat Burana 16, which was found deserted.
The warehouse owner, Thawatchai Jintaniyompanit, 60, told police he inherited the godown from his father, who used to run a steel shearing factory.
A lot of old material and metal scrap was kept at the godown, said Mr Thawatchai, who is an importor of factory machinery.
As he planned to renovate the deserted godown for his new business, he contacted Thai Compressed and Steel Scraps and offfered to sell the scrap metal left there.
The factory sent a truck and workers to clear it out. There were about 3 tonnes of scrap metal and he was paid 9 baht a kilogramme, he said. He did not know there were old artillery shells and casings among the scrap
Pol Maj Gen Samrit Tongtao, chief of the Metropolitan Police Division 8, who led the search of the godown, said Rat Burana police had not pressed charges against Mr Thawatchai.
Bang Bua Thong police would later call Mr Thawatchai in for questioning.
Army deputy spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said local residents might have collected exploded and unexploded artillery shells from around military firing ranges in Lop Buri and sold them to scrap metal collectors.
Soldiers used real ammunition and artillery shells during training exercises each year, she said.
Many shells landed in forest areas near the training areas, Col Sirichan said.
