Cyber police planned a sting operation to buy illegal guns in a secret Facebook group before arresting two suspects, a car repair shop owner and his employee, seizing four guns and 13 rounds of ammunition.
On 18 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Pol. Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, Commander of the Cyber Crime Division, along with Pol. Lt. Gen. Naradet Tiprak, Police Commissioner assigned to the Cyber Crime Division, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Komkrit Sukthai, Commander of Cyber Crime Division 3, ordered Pol. Col. Prasert Wangboonsang, Superintendent of Division 2, Cyber Crime Division 3, and Pol. Lt. Col. Akkaradej Thanukit, Inspector of Division 2, Cyber Crime Division 3, to join forces with cyber police, Nong Hin Police Station, and the Crime Suppression Division 4 to arrest Mr. Phaiwan or Klao Meunwiset, 25, and Mr. Siriphong or Changphong Chalipliam, 57, a car repair shop owner, seizing four firearms and 13 rounds of ammunition.
Investigators from Division 2, Cyber Crime Division 3, discovered illegal firearm trading in a secret Facebook group. They infiltrated the group and negotiated to buy a .38 caliber revolver from Mr. Phaiwan for 18,000 baht. A meeting for the weapon handover was arranged along the Nong Hin–Erawan road, Village 3, Nong Hin Subdistrict, Nong Hin District, Loei Province, where the suspects were arrested with the seized firearm.
Under questioning, Mr. Phaiwan admitted that the firearm belonged to Mr. Siriphong, who asked him to post it for sale on social media, offering a 4,000 baht commission per gun. Subsequently, investigators searched Mr. Siriphong’s accommodation at the car repair shop in Village 3, Nong Hin Subdistrict, where police seized three additional homemade firearms: a 9mm, a .380 caliber, and one of unknown caliber, along with a total of 13 rounds of various ammunition.
Police charged both men with "joint possession of firearms and ammunition without a local registrar's permission." Additionally, Mr. Phaiwan was charged with "carrying firearms in a city, village, or public place without justifiable cause." Both suspects confessed and are currently held pending legal proceedings.