Hundreds Jailed By 'fake' Bomb Detectors In Thai South

[belg]

the ideal tool to set up some people apparently... snif snif, you had 5000 baht in your pocket, now it is in mine

[MihaiThai]

What I don't understand is why after so many years the lowlife who sold them is still not in jail.

[FarangTalk]

What I don't understand is why after so many years the lowlife who sold them is still not in jail.

On 12 July 2012, Andrew Penhale, Deputy Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Central Fraud Division, authorised charges against six individuals, including Gary Bolton, for the manufacture, promotion and sale of a range of fraudulent substance detector devices[25]. Bolton was formally charged at the City of London Magistrates' Court on 19 July with one count of fraud by false representation and one count of making or supplying an item for use in fraud between January and July 2012, and pleaded not guilty to both charges.[26]

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

[FarangTalk]

They had them in Iraq. Basically a shoe box with a coat hanger stuck in it. Not too comfy standing outside your armored SUV at a checkpoint while illiterate police wave the thing around and not a dog in site. I think Iraq spent about 60 million on them, probably mostly US tax money.

Thailand is the biggest spender on the GT200 Detector to the tune of $21 million.

[I Like Thai]

Well the Army has still the highest credibility in Thailand.....mainly because all other have no credibility at all.

I fully understand that such mistakes happen. But I do not understand why they can't admit it.

If they admit it, they will have to sue the company that provided it. If they do that, any bribes or backhanders may be revealed in the public or courts. They don't want that happening.

[Nisa]

What I don't understand is why after so many years the lowlife who sold them is still not in jail.

Good question considering the UK knew they were bogus and were able to ban their sale 2.5 years before they even leveled the singe count of fraud against one person. The charges clearly should have been much much much more severe given they were sold to numerous government agencies fighting terrorism and who depended on the device for safety. Not to mention the guy made millions and people died as a result of depending on its use.

http://www.nationmul...cs_30121150.php (January 26, 2010)

Edited September 14, 2012 by Nisa

[fasteddie]

I want to see the BBC get their teeth into this.

Why? They're not adverse to telling porkies you know! They still promote the much discredited theory of AGW for example.

[fasteddie]

Bit of a sensationalist headline, if you ask me. I highly doubt they were convicted or jailed solely on the strength of someone waving an antenna at them, fake or otherwise.

Ever heard of the placebo effect? Wave that thing at a group of people and pick up the one who looks like he's cracking walnuts with his butt, it's not rocket science it's psychology.

I'd like to see statistics on how many of those jailed by this fake detector were armed and/or in possession of explosives, drugs.

No, I'm not defending what's happening or saying that there's anything justifiable about it - just playing devil's advocate.

Devils advocate in support of arbitrary arrests and long term detentions without trial by the Royal Thai Army ??

I'm not allowed to say what I think...

The device is joke that has destroyed Army credibility ( not there was much ) and the professional reputation of her with the weird hair do.

The corruption and moral bankruptcy of all concerned is frighteningly blatent.

''and the professional reputation of her with the weird hair do''.

what's Maggie Thatcher got to do with this?

[Buchholz]

They had them in Iraq. Basically a shoe box with a coat hanger stuck in it. Not too comfy standing outside your armored SUV at a checkpoint while illiterate police wave the thing around and not a dog in site. I think Iraq spent about 60 million on them, probably mostly US tax money.

Thailand is the biggest spender on the GT200 Detector

Source?

.

[philw]

They had them in Iraq. Basically a shoe box with a coat hanger stuck in it. Not too comfy standing outside your armored SUV at a checkpoint while illiterate police wave the thing around and not a dog in site. I think Iraq spent about 60 million on them, probably mostly US tax money.

Thailand is the biggest spender on the GT200 Detector

Source?

.

Onions, gently fried in garlic butter, add mustard ( the English not the American or French crap) and some milk.

Tasty and really good with cold meats etc.

Does it matter, if your life has been destroyed by a wrongful arrest caused by one of these foolish devices ??

[Buchholz]

They had them in Iraq. Basically a shoe box with a coat hanger stuck in it. Not too comfy standing outside your armored SUV at a checkpoint while illiterate police wave the thing around and not a dog in site. I think Iraq spent about 60 million on them, probably mostly US tax money.

Thailand is the biggest spender on the GT200 Detector

Source?

.

Onions, gently fried in garlic butter, add mustard ( the English not the American or French crap) and some milk.

Tasty and really good with cold meats etc.

Does it matter, if your life has been destroyed by a wrongful arrest caused by one of these foolish devices ??

Are you drunk this early in the morning?

Can not even the most basic of questions not be asked on the forum without some nonsense reply.

If you don't know the source, avoid replying. Simple.

.

[Scott]

I very strongly suggest you contemplate your next posts carefully.

Off-topic, baiting nonsense is going to result in moderator action.

[Thai at Heart]

What I don't understand is why after so many years the lowlife who sold them is still not in jail.

Good question considering the UK knew they were bogus and were able to ban their sale 2.5 years before they even leveled the singe count of fraud against one person. The charges clearly should have been much much much more severe given they were sold to numerous government agencies fighting terrorism and who depended on the device for safety. Not to mention the guy made millions and people died as a result of depending on its use.

http://www.nationmul...cs_30121150.php (January 26, 2010)

You think that only thais are prone to sticking their heads in the sand and hoping problems will just go away?

[atyclb]

Bit of a sensationalist headline, if you ask me. I highly doubt they were convicted or jailed solely on the strength of someone waving an antenna at them, fake or otherwise.

Ever heard of the placebo effect? Wave that thing at a group of people and pick up the one who looks like he's cracking walnuts with his butt, it's not rocket science it's psychology.

I'd like to see statistics on how many of those jailed by this fake detector were armed and/or in possession of explosives, drugs.

No, I'm not defending what's happening or saying that there's anything justifiable about it - just playing devil's advocate.

Devils advocate in support of arbitrary arrests and long term detentions without trial by the Royal Thai Army ??

I'm not allowed to say what I think...

The device is joke that has destroyed Army credibility ( not there was much ) and the professional reputation of her with the weird hair do.

The corruption and moral bankruptcy of all concerned is frighteningly blatent.

Well the Army has still the highest credibility in Thailand.....mainly because all other have no credibility at all.

I fully understand that such mistakes happen. But I do not understand why they can't admit it.

Kin of like the boss at the ministry of innovation who denied plagiarizing his PhD thesis despite crystal clear evidence. A famous university even ignored the evidence until international academic pressure became too strong / embarrassing prompting them to revoke the PhD

[FarangTalk]

They had them in Iraq. Basically a shoe box with a coat hanger stuck in it. Not too comfy standing outside your armored SUV at a checkpoint while illiterate police wave the thing around and not a dog in site. I think Iraq spent about 60 million on them, probably mostly US tax money.

Thailand is the biggest spender on the GT200 Detector

Source?

Bangkok Post article. There's also the Wikipedia article I linked to earlier that details the per country procurement spend on the device. Thailand has spent $21 million on the devices to date according to those sources.

Exports of the device to Iraq and Afghanistan were banned several years ago.

Washington Times says they spent $30 million on it: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f23_1344627085 during Abhisit's tenure.

Edited September 15, 2012 by FarangTalk

[FarangTalk]

The bottom line is you cannot believe an organisation that continues to use this fraudulent device and you certainly cannot believe someone that says it works on "something above science".

[nidieunimaitre]

Hundreds jailed by fake bomb detectors. Very bad indeed.

And what about: terrorists able to walk free because of fake bomb detectors? Innocent civilians and drafted soldiers killed because of fake bomb detectors?

[Jimjim]

I want to see the BBC get their teeth into this.

They've already reported on it extensively as far as the case in Britain goes. Check their website.

Since it was a British company that started all this, after all.