Arsenal explodes at Thai air base

An arsenal crammed with four tons of bullets and explosives has exploded at a Thai air force base near Bangkok's international airport.

There were no casualties in the blast and traffic at Don Muang International Airport, just under two miles away, was not interrupted.

The series of explosions occurred within the air force's Research and Weapon's Development Centre.

Air Vice Marshal Jirasak Phuvanartnurak said the explosions followed by a blaze totally destroyed a small building where bullets and explosives were stored.

"We believe that the accumulation of hot weather triggered the explosion," he said.

Vice Marshal Jirasak said air-conditioning in the building may not have been strong enough to counter the current heat.

The temperature on Wednesday morning was 30.7C, according to the airport meteorological office. Temperatures have reached 38-40C this week.

There were no casualties, Vice Marshal Jirasak said, because air force personnel were at the morning parade and no civilian workers had yet entered the building. The arsenal is located away from living quarters and other facilities, he said.

The air force officer said about three million baht (about £46,000) worth of armaments were destroyed in the blast and fire which was put out in about 40 minutes.

Yuthasak Sasiprapa, the deputy defence minister, said the four tons of ammunition had been in storage in the building for about 30 years. The ministry was sending a note to all Thailand's armed forces to be aware of dangers posed by the hot weather on stored ammunition, he said.

Last month Don Muang, which lies in the northern suburbs of the capital, was shaken when a blast tore through a parked Thai Airways Boeing 737-400, killing one person and injuring seven others.