Two arrested after Phuket checkpoint finds homemade handgun

Police arrested two people after finding a homemade handgun and nine rounds of 12-gauge ammunition during a checkpoint on Yaowarat-Songkhla Road in Phuket.

The operation took place between 1:10am and 2am on 31 August 2026 as officers checked groups of youths and vehicles in the area. Police searched two cars, 12 motorbikes and 25 people.

According to police, the weapon was a homemade handgun designed to fire 12-gauge shotgun cartridges. Officers also seized a knife and three motorbikes, while five people were identified through the force’s “high-risk group” system.

Two suspects, identified by police as ‘Thee’, 20, and ‘Su’, 23, were arrested. Police said they were charged with jointly possessing a firearm and ammunition without a permit, and carrying a firearm in a city, village or public place without reasonable cause.

The pair were taken to Phuket City Police Station and handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.