The Thai National Security Council (NSC) opted to distribute the 35 tons of weapons seized in December 2009 among the three branches of the armed forces.
A military source told the Bangkok Post the NSC considered destroying the weapons but decided it would make more sense to keep them to save costs and advance the military’s technical know-how.
Thai Authorities confiscated the weapons December 12, 2009, from a Russian-made Ilyushin-76 aircraft that had landed at Don Mueang airport to refuel after arriving from North Korea.
The weapons included explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components used in surface-to-air missiles.
They were all made in North Korea and were believed to be destined for Iran. UN resolutions bar North Korea from exporting weapons.
