
An Australian man arrested with a pistol and 96 rounds in his bag at Samui airport in Surat Thani province told police he bought the firearm for self defence from a Thai on Koh Samui.
Mark Bassal, 41, who has an Australian passport, was arrested at the island's airport in tambon Bophut around 1pm on Wednesday, Pol Col Suparuek Phankosol, superintendent of Surat Thani immigration police, said on Thursday.