Police searched the home of a Chinese man's ex-wife, uncovering a hidden arsenal of war weapons and C4 explosives. The ex-wife revealed her former husband behaved oddly, claiming to run a car rental business and often traveling abroad.
According to the case, Pol. Maj. Gen. Pongpan Wongmanithat, Commander of the Chonburi Provincial Police, led a task force along with related agencies to expand their investigation by searching a residence inside a village in Moo 2, Huay Yai Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. The home of Ming Chen, 31, was searched on the evening of 8 May. Police found numerous war firearms and C4 explosives attached to a bulletproof vest. Earlier, police from Najomtien Police Station responded to a car rollover incident in the Najomtien area, where they arrested Ming Chen, the driver, holding a Chinese passport and a pink identification card, along with a Taiwanese woman. War weapons were found in the car. The suspect claimed he ordered the weapons and explosives online, arranged to pick them up in Rayong Province, and intended to end his life because he was suffering from depression, though police remain skeptical of this statement.
Update: At 07:00 on 9 May 2026, reports stated that besides holding a Chinese passport, Ming Chen also possesses a pink identification card for foreigners without Thai nationality, indicating an address at a house on Soi Hathairat 37, Sam Wa Tawan Tok Subdistrict, Khlong Sam Wa District, Bangkok. The card was issued on 14 Nov 2023 and expires on 13 Nov 2033.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, and Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, ordered Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasong Anmanee, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 3, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Chotiwat Luangwilai, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division, along with officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigation units and Pol. Col. Chaithat Chiangtha, Acting Superintendent of Nimmit Mai Police Station, to investigate and inspect the house on the night of 8 May.
The house was a two-story townhouse where Miss A (a pseudonym), 31, the suspect’s ex-wife and an entertainer working in the Thonglor area, was present with her boyfriend. The search inside the home found no illegal items.
Miss A said that in 2021, she met Ming Chen, also known as 'Ah Ta', in Pattaya, Chonburi Province. They met again at a restaurant on Pradit Manutham Road, lived together, and moved into this house, which belongs to her cousin. Her name is on the house registration. Before registering their marriage, Ming Chen used this address to obtain a pink identification card and to open companies for various business dealings. She did not know what specific businesses he conducted. Ming Chen often traveled to South Korea and Australia, claiming to run a car rental business company in South Korea.
Miss A added that they mostly lived in a rented house in Pattaya, Chonburi Province. After being married for over a year, Ming Chen visited this house about four to five times. Recently, he behaved strangely and they grew apart, leading to their divorce in 2025. They have had no contact since, and she now has a new boyfriend.