Falling For A Fake

[edwardandtubs]

"In Thailand, which is not renowned for its strength in science and where irrationality is widespread, a ploy like this works. We were open

to exploitation because the GT200 answered our dreams."

Sounds like "whitening cream" to me

Thai people are very susceptible to marketers and witch doctors so it's hardly surprising they fell victim to a fraudster who combined the two.

[Sing_Sling]

Falling For A Fake ?? I Thought this thread was going to be talking about the PM

Notch another one who thought of ladyboys . . . quite disturbing, really

Typical. Never responsible for their actions.

I surprised it's not a foreigners fault.

It was actually . . . a Brit. They have a scapegoat

In reality, nothing can detect explosives better than sniffer dogs though their deployment to Thailand’s south is shunned because of perceived Muslim sensitivities.

Insane!

Nonsense - the cops, customs and army use dogs here.

Dogs are not against Islam, they are merely considered dirty, at least their saliva is. I know a few Muslims both here and in Indonesia who own dogs . . .

Edited May 5, 2013 by Sing_Sling

[max108]

Everyone seems to blame the Thai government for their failure to detect the fake but its OK for the British manufacturer to produce it and fool the purchaser. When McCormick comes out of jail he should be penniless. But of course thats not going to happen.

[Thai at Heart]

Everyone seems to blame the Thai government for their failure to detect the fake but its OK for the British manufacturer to produce it and fool the purchaser. When McCormick comes out of jail he should be penniless. But of course thats not going to happen.

But they didn't pull them from use instantly. In fact they defended them. And I am sure they can explain the grossly inflated price.

[Thai at Heart]

"To me, the biggest question is why purchases were authorised and made without any tests being conducted.

Ummmmmmmmmmm. 100s of millions of reasons

[max108]

Everyone seems to blame the Thai government for their failure to detect the fake but its OK for the British manufacturer to produce it and fool the purchaser. When McCormick comes out of jail he should be penniless. But of course thats not going to happen.

But they didn't pull them from use instantly. In fact they defended them. And I am sure they can explain the grossly inflated price.

It isn't just Thailand that got ripped off. Several other countries were victims as well including Irag and they paid around $35,000 per unit. Corruption is widesspread. The reason they kept using them...noone wanted to look like fools and admit their mistakes.

[F430murci]

Fake women, fake watches, fake clothes, fake medicine why not fake bomb detectors.

[NeverSure]

"In reality, nothing that can detect explosives better than sniffer dogs though their deployment to Thailand’s south is shunned because of perceived Muslim sensitivities."

Maybe it would be OK if they used fake dogs.

[uptheos]

Falling for a fake is one thing, doing nothing about it is another. The players who were paid off must be very high for there to be no investigation - oh sorry - DSI is busy trying to nail Sukhumband, Abhisit et al, far more important... Meanwhile the NACC is still thinking what to do!!!

The government, in fact no Thai government can touch the army. Simple.

Absolutely, a lot of people still don't seem to realise that Thailand is not a democracy. In a democracy the military is answerable to the government, not the other way around. The military can call a coup any time it likes and in my book that makes them the rulers.

[Thai at Heart]

Everyone seems to blame the Thai government for their failure to detect the fake but its OK for the British manufacturer to produce it and fool the purchaser. When McCormick comes out of jail he should be penniless. But of course thats not going to happen.

But they didn't pull them from use instantly. In fact they defended them. And I am sure they can explain the grossly inflated price.

It isn't just Thailand that got ripped off. Several other countries were victims as well including Irag and they paid around $35,000 per unit. Corruption is widesspread. The reason they kept using them...noone wanted to look like fools and admit their mistakes.

Yes, this I know. At the end there is little or no justification for this purchase, then the outrageous amount above the list price they paid is obviously very very dodgy.

[rbrooks]

Dogs are the best and they are not fake unless they are not trained properly. This is what happens when they let their religion or culture get in their way of viewing dogs. Heck bring in a good trainer in their country and they could train their soi dogs to do the same task. Priced at probably a bit less than the TV remote toy they purchased.

[maidu]

Wow - what stunning insight this man has offered, after the event!

Where was he on day one?

Why did Thai army continue to use the detectors and spokesman say they were fine when the first courts cases kicked off in 2008/9 ?

He didn't speak up because he is Thai. It's paramount here to never ruffle feathers, particularly of those higher in the pecking order. The Army and other offices didn't quit using the detectors, even after they suspected they were useless, because they paid so much for them, they couldn't admit having done anything wrong.

They didn't want to deploy sniffer dogs because that might upset the people who are planting the bombs ?? Go figure !

Better to have people blown to a hundred pieces than annoy a Muslim with a dog. Perhaps they'll find some stanza in the Q'ran which forbids them from going through the x-ray machine at the airport - and be excused from that indignity also. Does anyone in Thailand have the skills to train dogs to detect particular substances? From what I've seen of Thais and dogs, the former don't have a clue how to discipline the latter.

[surangw]

Falling For A Fake ?? I Thought this thread was going to be talking about the PM

or jems

[TackyToo]

Now we are ready to deliver a device (Gotcha-5-mill) capable to detect money in the pockets of corrupt officials for a discount equal to the one for the weapon purchase for MP’s. The only problem is: Thailand does not allow any import of this scientific gem into the country!

[dighambara]

BANGKOK: -- Asst Prof Jessada Denduangboripart, the scientist who proved that the GT200 explosives detector was a fake, looks back on the reasons why Thailand fell for the scam.......

Now, we are going to need 1000 words to say the word corruption.

"In Thailand, which is not renowned for its strength in science and where irrationality is widespread, a ploy like this works." Asst Prof Jessada Denduangboripart

T.I.T. and the Prof is just discovering that fact..??

[Mur]

read in the NZ christchurch press (overpriced rag mind you) that the fake detectors James McCormick sold were novelty golf ball finders he paid 13 english pounds for and sold for as much as 27,000 pounds. The man is obviously the salesman of the century

[Neilly]

. Does anyone in Thailand have the skills to train dogs to detect particular substances?

Yep...seen them at Samui airport

[OzMick]

Yawn, nothing will happen. The current administration wont investigate as they don't want a coup, the Democrats would not investigate as they don't want to piss of their main supporter and their only means of getting into power.

It would be nice if the UK media published details of the purchasers if they are aware.

Pardon? The NACC is investigating, and as that is an independent body, it has nothing to do with the current administration or the Democrats. There has been extensive local press coverage of the puchases and purchasers, far more extensive than is likely in the UK press, though perhaps they could get more accurate figures from a convicted conman.

[smutcakes]

Yawn, nothing will happen. The current administration wont investigate as they don't want a coup, the Democrats would not investigate as they don't want to piss of their main supporter and their only means of getting into power.

It would be nice if the UK media published details of the purchasers if they are aware.

Pardon? The NACC is investigating, and as that is an independent body, it has nothing to do with the current administration or the Democrats. There has been extensive local press coverage of the puchases and purchasers, far more extensive than is likely in the UK press, though perhaps they could get more accurate figures from a convicted conman.

Yes of course they are investigating...... I am sure they will put their heart and soul. Dont be absurd, the army never have and probably never will be charged or investigated on anything.

[hellodolly]

Here's a test: Put bits of various explosive ingredients (no, not your mother-in-laws pumpkin pie recipe) in 30 numbered paper bags. Some bags are empty and some contain non-explosive items. Run the tester near them. Write down results. Check bags to gauge device's veracity.

Why this would be tough to do in Thailand:

>>>> Few Thais have scientific training and analytical thinking abilities required.

>>>> Person who placed items in bags can't keep it secret.

>>>> Belief in ghosts is so prevalent among Thais, that if results didn't fit with what they wanted to find, they would attribute it to supernatural.

>>>> Higher ups in the pay-off trough wouldn't want the $30,000 devices to be proven to be hoaxes. They might miss a payment on their Lexus.

Next, try a test with voodoo surgeons in the Philippines.

I did no help there.

Edit

Off course she was traveling at the time.

Edited May 6, 2013 by hellodolly

[DiNiro]

The same reason the Gov. can't investigate the drug war deaths or the missing blue diamond etc....

Someone very high up approves.

[rotary]

"I think the makers of the GT200 would have won a Nobel prize if the device had worked in the way they promised.".

I think the makers of the GT200 have done as much to win that Noble Prize as Barack Obama done to win his, now just my humble opinion.

[maidu]

Can taxpayers sue the army and gov't agencies for knowingly wasting taxpayer revenues?

Didn't think so.

That's what so-called 'independent watchdog agencies' are supposed to do.

Oh, just remembered, Yingluck and PT just cut back funding for independent agencies. It all makes sense, in a warped Shinawatre sort of way.