December 15, 2009
BANGKOK (AFP) - The Thai government said Tuesday it will ask the United Nations for money to destroy a cache of sanctions-busting weapons seized from a plane out of North Korea, as officials began inspecting the arms.
The 35-tonne load, including missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, was discovered after a Belarussian pilot and four Kazakh crew landed to refuel at Bangkok's domestic Don Mueang airport on Friday.
Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters that all the weapons, worth millions of dollars, will be destroyed. But Thailand may need to call in experts to help if "sophisticated" arms are found.
"The Thai government is preparing to ask for funds from the United Nations to spend on the destruction of the seized weapons. As of now I cannot say how much money we need," he said.
On Monday, a Thai court extended the detention of the crew so police could investigate further. The five men have been charged with possessing war weapons but deny knowing what they were transporting, police said.
It is the first known airborne arms cargo seized under the latest UN resolution against North Korea -- adopted in response to Pyongyang's nuclear activities -- and Washington has hailed it as proof sanctions were effective.
Thai media have claimed the authorities were tipped off about the plane by US intelligence.
Meanwhile, police, legal officials and armed forces began carrying out detailed inspections of the weapons at an airbase in central Thailand.
"We have examined the 145 cases of weapons and photographed them," said Sirisak Tiyapan of the Attorney General office's international affairs department.
He told AFP that army experts were still conducting more detailed examinations, adding: "It will take a while before they can prepare a full report".
Initial inspections suggested the cargo contained no nuclear weaponry, Air Vice Marshal Meatha Sangkavichitr said Monday, while the national security council chief said there was also no evidence of links to terrorism.
The plane had stopped in the United Arab Emirates and Thailand before flying to Pyongyang, and was due to stop next in Sri Lanka, but the final destination of the weapons remained unclear.
