Thai authorities impound North Korean aircraft.

[ozthai]

Thai authorities impounds North Korean airplane carrying weapons

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities on Saturday impounded a North Korean airplane that was found to be carrying war weapons, officials confirmed.

The pilot of the airplane had requested an emergency landing at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport to refuel. Authorities impounded the craft and detained four pilots and crew members after finding war weapons on board, according to the officials

'This action was in keeping with the relevant UN National Security Council resolutions,' Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thingpakdi said.

He added that the matter was now under the supervision of the Thai police who would provide further details later Saturday.

-- Agencies 2009-12-12

Source... Thaivisa.com

Also reported on local TV in Thai. It happened today, Saturday.

[ozthai]

Asia World News



Bangkok - Thai authorities on Saturday impounded an airplane from and unnamed Eastern European country that was found to be carrying war weapons, a government spokesman said. The pilot of the airplane had requested an emergency landing at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport to refuel Saturday morning.
"When authorities boarded the plane they found it was filled with war weapons," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayankorn said.
The captain and crew were from Georgia and Belarus, he said.
The exact origin of the plane and its destination remain unclear.
"What I can say is that it was a charter flight and the plane was from an Eastern European country," Panitan said.
Officials could not confirm speculation that the aircraft was bound for Pyongyang, North Korea.
Thai police were expected to provide further details later Saturday

[ozthai]

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00381/thai_cargo_secur_381862gm-a.jpg


Bangkok — Reuters Published on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 11:35AM EST Last updated on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 11:36AM EST

Thai security forces seized more than 35 tonnes of arms from a cargo plane and arrested five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing to refuel at a Bangkok airport, officials said on Saturday.
Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the action was taken after the plane had landed at Don Muang airport and “suspicious” cargo was found on board.
“We have detained five crew. But we can't confirm where the plane is heading to. Roughly, the destination is in Asia, probably South Asia, and the plane came from North Asia,” he told Reuters.
Monthon Sutchukorn, a deputy spokesman for the Thai air force, said the plane had departed from North Korea but had no further details.
An air force official involved in the inspection, who declined to be named, said the Thai authorities had been asked by the United States to investigate the plane and its cargo.
“We were approached by the United States, seeking our co-operation to examine the suspected plane. It came from North Korea and was heading for somewhere in South Asia, probably Pakistan,” the official told Reuters.
Media reports said the plane had initially sought permission to land at Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi international airport but had been diverted to the capital's second airport, Don Muang.
Local media said four of the crew members were from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus.