Security will be tightened ahead of the Asean Summit in Bangkok next week after arms caches were found in Si Sa Ket and Surin over the past five days, said deputy national police chief, Srivara Ransibrahmanakul.
Pol Gen Srivara said yesterday that authorities received "no intelligence" about any possible security risk at the Asean Summit, which will be held between June 20-23.
"However, after the weapons were discovered, a new order has been issued to review all leads and intelligence memos," he said.
"We will increase the number of personnel to man checkpoints both in and outside of Bangkok proper," said Pol Gen Srivara. "I can assure you that no one will be able to carry bombs and cause chaos in the capital."
He said that the discovery will not have a negative impact on the summit attendees -- instead, it will bolster their confidence in the capabilities, of the country's law enforcement agencies, which made the discovery ahead of the summit.
Previously, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy Prawit Wongsuwon had ordered security officials to provide "maximum security" for the summit.
On Wednesday last week, authorities in Si Sa Ket found 27 rocket-propelled grenades, 24 grenades for M79 launchers along with 700 rounds of ammunition for AK assault rifles in an irrigation canal in the province's Khukhan district. On Sunday, 16 AK-47 assault rifles and 129 magazine rounds were found dumped in a pond in Ban Kra Ngok, in tambon Sadao of Surin's Buachet district.
Pol Gen Srivara said that the discoveries were likely to be related.
However, he cannot confirm if the discoveries are linked to any political movements, despite the weapons found being similar to those used in political violence between 2010 and 2014.
