Chinese Sun Mingchen gets 46‑year Thai sentence for illegal weapons depot

A Thai provincial court in Pattaya sentenced Chinese national Sun Mingchen to 46 years in prison after he admitted to operating an illegal underground weapons depot. The cache, uncovered following a car accident on 8 May in Sattahip, contained military‑grade firearms such as M16 and M4 rifles, Glock pistols, large quantities of ammunition, C4 high‑explosive, body armor, chemical‑protective masks and radio‑signal jammers.

The court found Sun guilty of violating Thailand’s Firearms Act, Arms Control Act and Radio Communications Act. All seized weapons and equipment were ordered confiscated and placed under state custody. A co‑defendant denied the charges and remains in detention pending a new indictment. Sun, who holds Chinese and Cambodian passports, claimed he possessed the weapons for personal self‑harm and denied any intent to use them against others. The case highlights cross‑border illegal arms trafficking and Thailand’s swift legal response.