Thailand To Deport Crew Of N. Korea Weapons Plane

Thai prosecutors have dropped charges against the five-men crew of a plane carrying weapons from North Korea.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office, Thanaphit Mollaphruek, said the five men -- four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus -- will be deported to face prosecution in their home countries.

The spokesman said the decision was partly made to maintain a good relationship with the two countries. It was not immediately clear when the men would be deported.

Thai authorities seized the cargo plane carrying -- despite UN sanctions -- 35 tons of weapons from North Korea in Bangkok in December. The ultimate destination of the weapons remains unknown.