By Thai Newsroom Reporters
OVER A DOZEN SHOTGUNS have been seized from villagers in Lampang during the current running up to a by-election of an MP in the northern province.
Pol Maj Gen Anucha Uamcharoen, commander of the Lampang provincial police, today (June 5) announced 14 shotguns, 18 cap guns and a hand grenade have been seized since the last nine days with 27 villagers arrested on charges of illegally possessing the weapons.
The police have been conducting patrols throughout Constituency 4 of the northern province where the MP by-election is scheduled for June 20 following last month’s death of Pheu Thai MP Itthirat Chantharasurin.
Two candidates are practically vying for the MP seat of Lampang, namely Wattana Sitthiwang of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, and Somboon Klaphachon of the opposition Thai Liberal Party.
Lampang has a total of four MPs with all the three others belonging to the opposition Pheu Thai Party.
In addition, about 10,000 speed pills have been seized with another 118 villagers having been arrested and suspected as drug users or dealers, Pol Maj Gen Anucha said.
Authorities are seeing to it that the constituency will be void of vote-buying and crimes ahead of the by-election, according to the provincial police commander.
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Top: Bullets in row. Photo: Jose Hernandez (CC BY-SA 2.0)
