A Chinese man carrying firearms crashed his car, prompting police to search his home where they found a small arsenal including C4 explosives. They also discovered ChatGPT chats in which he inquired about terrorism methods. Additionally, a bulletproof vest rigged similarly to a suicide bomb was found, suggesting preparations for an attack.
On 9 May 2026 at 18:00, Pol. Maj. Gen. Pongsapan Wongmaneethes, Commander of Chonburi Province, along with provincial investigators, Immigration Division 3, Chonburi Immigration, and officers from Najomtien and Huay Yai police stations, raided a house in Huay Yai village, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. The operation followed reports from Najomtien police of a foreigner overturning a car in that area. The driver was identified as Ming Chen, 31, holding a Chinese passport and a pink ID card, accompanied by a 33-year-old Taiwanese woman. Weapons were found in the car, leading to questioning and a search of the suspect’s home.
The search uncovered a shocking quantity of weapons including four C4 explosives weighing 8 pounds total, modified K75 grenades, M4 grenades, M4 rifles, and 5.56mm M193 ball ammunition marked LOT RTA, produced by the Royal Thai Army Ammunition Plant for military use. The suspect’s phone contained videos of shooting practice and grenade throwing with Cambodian soldiers.
After discovering the large cache of weapons, police cordoned off a 100-meter radius around the house and called in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to safely collect and dispose of the bombs found on the premises.
Ming Chen initially told police that he previously operated a liquor store in Cambodia but relocated to Thailand due to border problems. He claimed to have purchased the weapons via a private LINE group in Rayong province, though he did not know the exact location. He said he intended to use them in a suicide bombing because he suffers from depression.
By 22:00, police had thoroughly examined the house and confirmed the presence of four C4 explosive blocks weighing 2 pounds (about 1 kilogram) each, capable of causing destruction within hundreds of meters. They also found two military-grade M4 rifles, dozens of 5.56mm rounds, four anti-personnel hand grenades, detailed explosive notes, a K75 fragmentation grenade, four trap-type corn cob grenades, three grenade fuses, one box of unknown-weight C4, two 1.25-pound C4 sticks, totaling ten hand grenades, and remote detonators.
Police were alarmed to find a bulletproof vest rigged with C4 explosives, with the devices wired and ready for use, resembling a suicide vest. This prompted evacuation of nearby residents to safe locations.
Additionally, Ming Chen’s phone showed conversations with the ChatGPT application, in which he asked about how to carry out terrorist attacks at key locations and the destructive power of C4 explosives. The phone also contained videos of training with firearms and throwing hand grenades. The training location was identified as the 911 Special Forces Camp in Cambodia, known as the BHQ Warrior Training Camp, which trains Hun Sen's bodyguard troops.
According to arresting officers, during the house search, the suspect had set traps by stringing wires connected to anti-personnel grenade pins. Nearby, four 20-liter fuel drums were found, arranged so that accidentally kicking a device would trigger an explosion immediately. This setup resembled scenes from action movies.
Pol. Col. Wasurat Chaitheerapat, Deputy Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police (overseeing investigations), came to the scene to oversee operations. He instructed police from multiple units and administrative officials to secure the area and wait for forensic teams to collect further evidence. The explosives and weapons remain in place for detailed examination. Updates will be reported as the investigation progresses.