Thais Still Using Fake Bomb Detectors

[aguy30]

I would bet that 20% of forum members would believe this device is a valid tool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT200

According to the Thai newspaper The Nation, the GT200 is "just a new name" for a previous Global Technical product, the MOLE programmable substance detection system.^[15] It operated in the same way as the GT200, using a swinging antenna to point to a target material indicated via "programmable cards" inserted into a reader. The MOLE was tested in the United States in 2002 by Sandia National Laboratories but was found to perform no better than random chance.^[16] According to the Sandia report, the MOLE appears "physically nearly identical" to a product Sandia examined in October 1995 called the Quadro Tracker, which was marketed by a South Carolina company but which was banned in 1996 and the makers prosecuted for fraud.^[17][18]

A BBC Newsnight investigation of the GT200 in January 2010 found that the "sensor card" contained merely two sheets of card between which was sandwiched a sheet of paper, white on one side and black on the other, that had been cut off from a larger sheet with a knife or scissors. It contained no electronic components whatsoever. When the device's case was dismantled, it too was found to contain no electronic components. Explosives expert Sidney Alford told Newsnight: "Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case." Gary Bolton of Global Technical said that the lack of any electronic parts "does not mean it does not operate to the specification."^[19]

A GT200 unit was examined on Thailand's Nation Channel in an interview with Lt Col Somchai Chalermsuksan of the Thai Central Institute of Forensic Science. The host commented that "there is no battery here or way of powering it" and that the bottom half of the device was completely empty. Asked if there was anything in the sealed top half of the device, Lt Col Somchai said: "There is nothing. Once there was an accident and the device came apart. There was nothing inside." The host concluded: "So it is just two pieces of plastic put together."^[20]

^{The Bangkok Post reported on a Thai army field training session using the GT200 near Yala city in November 2009, in which a bomb squad using GT200 devices repeatedly failed to detect explosiveVarious types of explosives had been placed at different spots, unknown to the personnel using altogether four GT200 devices. After more than 30 minutes, all four devices failed to locate the explosives. Eventually, the head of the bomb disposal squad showed them where the bombs were hidden, much to the embarrassment of all concerned.}

Edited August 4, 2012 by aguy30

[Kananga]

Perhaps Lady Gaga could promote awareness by claiming she intends to buy a fake bomb detector on her next tour here.

[telldem]

Kwai so mutt!

Sent from my iPhone 4S using Thaivisa Connect App

[LuckyLew]

and they take their lunch break when it shows 12noon on their fake rolex's

[Soutpeel]

"Gary Bolton of Global Technical said that the lack of any electronic parts "does not mean it does not operate to the specification"

Once this guys gets out of jail, maybe a job in the Thai goverment as an official spokesman if that fails, sure there would be plenty of estate agents/property developers who would employ him..

Edited August 4, 2012 by Soutpeel

[chooka]

So the Thais got scammed by the poms, but won't admit it out of fear of losing face.

[ggold]

A new low in Saving Face. OK, you bought fake bomb detectors. Admit it. Buy accurate equipment and then decide to save lives over saving face.

But what to do if the humble man on the front line doesn't trust his glorious master sitting behind his desk in Bangkok.

Oooooooh, the glorious wiff of corruption. the stench is getting worse and worse, and i have to say, forget backhanders this is only life and death.

Indeed one wonders who would have to return the tea money?

Sent from my GT-P6200 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Pseudolus]

These devices were outed as being rubbish 2 years before the Thais bought them. Wholly discredited and proven not to work 2 years prior to them buying them. Sorry, but this surely is a new level of them being completely and utterly stupid. Surely the people who decided to buy these bits of kit should be put up on manslaughter charges for each bomb death because they must have known they did not work when they bought them.

[Ricardo]

Perhaps the caring PTP-led government might offer to buy some new working-order detectors, so that fewer citizens or soldiers or police get blown-up, down-South or indeed in Bangkok ?

Or perhaps they have more-pressing financial-commitments ?

[Sateev]

" Critics said the use of the devices could subject the users to the possibility of being blown..."

Where do I sign up?

[BabySun]

I would bet that 20% of forum members would believe this device is a valid tool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT200

According to the Thai newspaper The Nation, the GT200 is "just a new name" for a previous Global Technical product, the MOLE programmable substance detection system.^[15] It operated in the same way as the GT200, using a swinging antenna to point to a target material indicated via "programmable cards" inserted into a reader. The MOLE was tested in the United States in 2002 by Sandia National Laboratories but was found to perform no better than random chance.^[16] According to the Sandia report, the MOLE appears "physically nearly identical" to a product Sandia examined in October 1995 called the Quadro Tracker, which was marketed by a South Carolina company but which was banned in 1996 and the makers prosecuted for fraud.^[17][18]

A BBC Newsnight investigation of the GT200 in January 2010 found that the "sensor card" contained merely two sheets of card between which was sandwiched a sheet of paper, white on one side and black on the other, that had been cut off from a larger sheet with a knife or scissors. It contained no electronic components whatsoever. When the device's case was dismantled, it too was found to contain no electronic components. Explosives expert Sidney Alford told Newsnight: "Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case." Gary Bolton of Global Technical said that the lack of any electronic parts "does not mean it does not operate to the specification."^[19]

A GT200 unit was examined on Thailand's Nation Channel in an interview with Lt Col Somchai Chalermsuksan of the Thai Central Institute of Forensic Science. The host commented that "there is no battery here or way of powering it" and that the bottom half of the device was completely empty. Asked if there was anything in the sealed top half of the device, Lt Col Somchai said: "There is nothing. Once there was an accident and the device came apart. There was nothing inside." The host concluded: "So it is just two pieces of plastic put together."^[20]

^{The Bangkok Post reported on a Thai army field training session using the GT200 near Yala city in November 2009, in which a bomb squad using GT200 devices repeatedly failed to detect explosiveVarious types of explosives had been placed at different spots, unknown to the personnel using altogether four GT200 devices. After more than 30 minutes, all four devices failed to locate the explosives. Eventually, the head of the bomb disposal squad showed them where the bombs were hidden, much to the embarrassment of all concerned.}

You have answered my question above;but I can not believe it!Was it so bad,that there were no electronic parts inside and no source of power?!So,it was dummy?

Who buy this?If I go to 7/11 and pay for bottle of water - I expect to drink it and I can see liquid inside.I do not pay for empty bottle!

There is similar,but legit item on the market - dummy video cameras,which you can fix around your house to freak-out potential thieves;they cost very little,they have no real lens,but red light is blinking and some of them even make that swing movement.

If this article in Wiki tells true(it is only Wiki!) - then IMHO - our world is in very poor shape now.

[JeremyBowskill]

What do you mean "our crappy olympics" Show some pride in your country boy for holding a fantastic London Olympics. Brits are always so self deprecating.

[/quote

Fair few empty seats Jon in broken Britains olympic attempt but that being said I have watched most of it so far and found it pretty entertaining.

[chrisinth]

5 posts without somebody noticing in the article the words British company, A new Thai visa record for the most posts without Brit bashing and I thought it was just our crappy olympics breaking new records.

I am British and the company concerned needs more than just a bashing.................

[boggle]

With all the beliefs in the "supernatural" here in Thailand I would think it would fit straight in. Maybe it works just for Thais?

Edited August 4, 2012 by boggle

[Thai at Heart]

I would bet that 20% of forum members would believe this device is a valid tool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT200

According to the Thai newspaper The Nation, the GT200 is "just a new name" for a previous Global Technical product, the MOLE programmable substance detection system.^[15] It operated in the same way as the GT200, using a swinging antenna to point to a target material indicated via "programmable cards" inserted into a reader. The MOLE was tested in the United States in 2002 by Sandia National Laboratories but was found to perform no better than random chance.^[16] According to the Sandia report, the MOLE appears "physically nearly identical" to a product Sandia examined in October 1995 called the Quadro Tracker, which was marketed by a South Carolina company but which was banned in 1996 and the makers prosecuted for fraud.^[17][18]

A BBC Newsnight investigation of the GT200 in January 2010 found that the "sensor card" contained merely two sheets of card between which was sandwiched a sheet of paper, white on one side and black on the other, that had been cut off from a larger sheet with a knife or scissors. It contained no electronic components whatsoever. When the device's case was dismantled, it too was found to contain no electronic components. Explosives expert Sidney Alford told Newsnight: "Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case." Gary Bolton of Global Technical said that the lack of any electronic parts "does not mean it does not operate to the specification."^[19]

A GT200 unit was examined on Thailand's Nation Channel in an interview with Lt Col Somchai Chalermsuksan of the Thai Central Institute of Forensic Science. The host commented that "there is no battery here or way of powering it" and that the bottom half of the device was completely empty. Asked if there was anything in the sealed top half of the device, Lt Col Somchai said: "There is nothing. Once there was an accident and the device came apart. There was nothing inside." The host concluded: "So it is just two pieces of plastic put together."^[20]

^{The Bangkok Post reported on a Thai army field training session using the GT200 near Yala city in November 2009, in which a bomb squad using GT200 devices repeatedly failed to detect explosiveVarious types of explosives had been placed at different spots, unknown to the personnel using altogether four GT200 devices. After more than 30 minutes, all four devices failed to locate the explosives. Eventually, the head of the bomb disposal squad showed them where the bombs were hidden, much to the embarrassment of all concerned.}

You have answered my question above;but I can not believe it!Was it so bad,that there were no electronic parts inside and no source of power?!So,it was dummy?

Who buy this?If I go to 7/11 and pay for bottle of water - I expect to drink it and I can see liquid inside.I do not pay for empty bottle!

There is similar,but legit item on the market - dummy video cameras,which you can fix around your house to freak-out potential thieves;they cost very little,they have no real lens,but red light is blinking and some of them even make that swing movement.

If this article in Wiki tells true(it is only Wiki!) - then IMHO - our world is in very poor shape now.

It is a metal rod on a swivel with a plastic handle, manufacturing cost probably less than 200 baht.

[JeremyBowskill]

5 posts without somebody noticing in the article the words British company, A new Thai visa record for the most posts without Brit bashing and I thought it was just our crappy olympics breaking new records.

I am British and the company concerned needs more than just a bashing.................

imagine that somebody actually selling a fake product to the Thais, do buddhists understand the irony aspect of karma???

[chrisinth]

You have a case of selling a worthless object (do not count the cost of said object). The UK has taken that to their legal system and it appears the man/company will end up in jail.

On this side of the pond, you have a expenditure of millions, for a device that has less reliability than a weggie board, and they set up 11 committes to study the situation. How many individuals, involved, of those 11 groups who bought the devices, are on the committes?

And therin lies the problem. Good post slapout!

[smccolley]

I think is because Thailand is the Hub for Fake Bomb Detectors

Don't think that Thailand is the only one. Two years ago I saw them using these POS detectors at the Sheraton in Jordan and told they manager they were shit. They are still using them as far as I know...

I don't know who this guy is but he is the best snake oill salesman in the world. Britain shouldn't have him in jail - they should have him selling something useful.

[how241]

To me, this is nothing more than a criminal act from the outset. For the army to even have one of these devices in operation, or in their armouries, this is endangering not only the operators but the public as well if an area is deemed clear of explosive devices through the use of one of these.

There should be a full investigation (right now, given priority) and anyone involved in the purchase of these devices investigated fully. As for the British company that provided them, words fail me.

+1

[TackyToo]

Why not send our man Chalerm to the scene?

He often proclaims to the world at large that he is privy to knowledge about a multitude of people, their motives and actions in the grey world of illegal matters that drift around Thailand and of course his own family too.

Chalerm surely in a previous incarnation must have been an ''Oracle at The temple of Delphi.

Who need the GT200 when we have Chalerm ?

Why not send our man Chalerm to the scene? Because an old man who could not even take of his loafers most probably don't have the cochones to go go there!

[overherebc]

Reading the headline makes me feel secure knowing we won't have any fake bombs found

[Bagwan]

The guy who made these pieces of crap was charged last month. Trial date not set yet. Cannot believe that avoiding loss of face is more important than people's lives.

Thankfully the trial will not be held in Thailand or Mr. Big would end up with a suspended sentence. Any news of those who bought these toys being brought to book?

[Arkady]

The frequency of "detection" is below random chance (around 25% is the generally accepted figure I believe)...so basically almost anything - a piece of dead tree - would pass the Generals requirement of "detecting" a bomb just once....

This is all about face now, hence the stupid comments by the Generals, rather than lose face admitting these things dont work, they are prepared to let their own soldier be killed. All these devices should have been recalled a long time ago.

It is more about corruption and covering tracks than about face. Lumps of plastic with no electronic parts sold for high prices that don't do anything generate a huge gross margin out of which large bribes need to be paid to military and politician fat cats to get a sale of such useless junk. Of course they don't care if a few Isaan conscripts are blown to smithereens as long as they can buy another ferrari for their brat studying in a no name college for stupid, rich foreigners in the US.

[Cardiff1963]

To me, this is nothing more than a criminal act from the outset. For the army to even have one of these devices in operation, or in their armouries, this is endangering not only the operators but the public as well if an area is deemed clear of explosive devices through the use of one of these.

There should be a full investigation (right now, given priority) and anyone involved in the purchase of these devices investigated fully. As for the British company that provided them, words fail me.

would be good if suppliers could be charged with causing death or at least boiled in oil

[easybullet3]

There should be a full investigation (right now, given priority) and anyone involved in the purchase of these devices investigated fully. As for the British company that provided them, words fail me.

i am also confused about the birtish company that sold them. I mean: surely this company would be registered in the UK, so then it is traceable. so why dont they just return all the bomb detectors and have a full refund?

UK law supports the customer if the vendor sells faulty (or wrongly advertised goods).

UNLESS OF COURSE THEY WERE ADVERTISED AS FAKE BOMB DETECTORS (and the thai generals saw an opportunity to buy cheap fake detectors and pass them off, so they can receive the full price from the government budgeting).

- then the UK company has done nothing wrong, except write a false sales receipt and received a generous back-hander for doing so), which is also punishable in the UK.

so why has nothing been done about this UK company? either way, they have done something bad.

Edited August 4, 2012 by easybullet3

[OzMick]

The crap bomb detector doesn't bother the bomb squad because they have all be issued with million baht amulets guaranteed to prevent death in an explosion.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....no mention about 'who arranged the deal'.....and 'got a commission'.....???

[PoodMaiDai]

Darwin at work once again in Miracle Thailand.

[Skywalker69]

"When news of the fraudulent nature of the GT200 devices became public in 2010, Pornthip defended the use of the devices, even if they were proven ineffective. She noted, “I do not feel embarrassed if the bomb detector is proven ineffective. Personally, I have never handled the device myself. But my people have used it and it is accurate every time. Long long time ago, people believed that the Earth is flat and anyone who said otherwise faced execution. Things which are not visible does not necessarily mean they do not exist.”[14] As of March 2011, an official English language translation of Dr. Pornthip's autobiography, containing her side of her life story and most famous cases is currently being reviewed for publication from Singapore." WIKI

This is not a fake devise. It is scientifically proven to be 20% effective; better than none.

[surangw]

maybe they did not read the instructions, they do a great job of detecting fake bombs.