Suvarnabhumi Airport says ex-cop arrested in Japan didn't bring gun from Thailand

[webfact]

Thai Airport Says Ex-Cop Arrested in Japan Didn't Bring Gun from Thailand
By Khaosod English


Airport staff demonstrate security protocols at Suvarnabhumi Airport on 25 June 2015.

BANGKOK — The director of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport said his staff did not detect a firearm when they inspected the luggage of a former Bangkok police chief who was arrested in Japan with a loaded gun this week.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, 60, who served as commander of Bangkok Metropolitan Police from 2012 to 2014, is being held in Japanese custody after security officers in Tokyo's Narita Airport reportedly discovered a loaded revolver in his suitcase on 22 June. The penalty for carrying a loaded firearm without permission in Japan is 3-10 years imprisonment.

Kamronwit's arrest raised concerns among Thai officials that Suvarnabhumi Airport staff may have failed to spot the firearm in Kamronwit's belongings, or provided him with VIP treatment.

Sirote Duangrat, the airport’s director, dismissed the speculation in a press conference today.

Sirote said Kamronwit went through an x-ray scan and body search at the airport before he left Thailand on the Thai Airways flight TG640. His checked luggage was also inspected, Sirote said.

"We did not discover any item that is dangerous to the aircraft," Sirote said.

He also told reporters that the body scanner devices used at Suvarnabhumi Airport meet international standards, and are the same as the machines used in Japan’s Narita airport.

"Officials who man the devices went through at least six months of training, and we shift the personnel all the time to prevent exhaustion," he said. "Each personnel is an expert in this profession. However, from now on we will increase frequency and intensity of our inspections."

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1435236245&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-06-26

[webfact]

JAPAN
Suvarnabhumi official says Camronwit's gun was not detected
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE security system at Suvarnabhumi Airport did not detect a handgun belonging to retired city police chief Lt General Camronwit Toopkrajank when he left the airport for Japan on June 18.

Camronwit is in detention in Japan after a gun was found in a bag he carried as he was about to leave Tokyo for Bangkok on Monday.

Suvarnabhumi Airport deputy director Phet Chan-charoen said both passenger and luggage have to pass security screening at the airport before leaving the country.

"A passenger [would] walk through an x-ray machine while luggage [would] go through a bomb detector, or CTX, which would focus the screening on explosives only," he said in a press conference.

Asked if the CTX machine could detect a gun, Phet said it would identify it only as a metal object which would not pose danger to the plane, he said.

Earlier it was suspected that Camronwit may have bought the gun in Japan. However, Thai police spokesman Pol Gen Prawut Thawornsiri told reporters that Camronwit had the gun from long before he retired. His son is now in Japan to show a registration document to Japanese police.

Observers said this showed Camronwit brought the gun in question with him from Bangkok - only to be detected in Japan. Security systems of the Airports of Thailand that oversee Suvarnabhumi Airport have been criticised for not being adequate enough to detect the gun.

However, Phet said if the gun was in Camronwit's case, the CTX might have been unable to detect it as the machine was a bomb detector and because the gun was very small. "According to US standards, [if a metal item] is found [stored] under the plane, it is not dangerous as a passenger has no access to get to it to do harm to the flight."

When told that Camronwit was found with a gun and five bullets, which are explosive items, Phet said they may have been a small volume only. "We have to focus on the power to destroy and [cause] disaster," he said.

Meanwhile, Public Affairs Division director Pol Maj General Apichart Suribunya said Japan's public prosecutors might spend a few more days before concluding Camronwit's case.

It is believed that Japan uses the same procedure as Thailand's in investigating such cases, so more time is required.

Apichart said he had learned that Japanese police had handed Camronwit to public prosecutors on Wednesday. His division has contacted their Japanese counterparts and asked for updates on the case. But the procedure would take time, as it was not easy to translate from Japanese to English.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Suvarnabhumi-official-says-Camronwits-gun-was-not--30263148.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-26

[NongKhaiKid]

Didn't bring the gun from Thailand or it didn't get detected ? Quite a difference.

No way will any error or omission here be admitted but it's reassuring to know they employ ' experts ' on the scanners.

Edited June 25, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[Reigntax]

He either took the gun through Thai Customs or brought it in Japan without a firearms licence. Get him to produce the purchase receipt. If none allow the Japanese police to prosecute him. If taken on an airline from Thailand, prosecute him in Thailand for endangering passengers and the reputation of the Thai airline industry.

Oops, the latter would be hard to do.

[BSJ]

"Officials who man the devices went through at least six months of training, and we shift the personnel all the time to prevent exhaustion," he said. "Each personnel is an expert in this profession. However, from now on we will increase frequency and intensity of our inspections."

'However, from now on we will increase frequency and intensity of our inspections.' So, that sounds like double talk to me....indicating they aren't always as vigilant as they should be.

[Reigntax]

I suppose being an ex Thai cop he wouldn't be aware that cops in other countries actually enforce the law or do their jobs.

[NongKhaiKid]

Any switch of defence to ' know nothing about it, must have been planted ' is well and truly shot down as his son is in Japan to show registration documents for the gun in Thailand.

I'm sure it will be hard to accept here that the weapon is only legal in LoS and doesn't cover it in any other country but Thainess will apply and why can't these stupid Japanese understand ?

[Ace of Pop]

I was caught with a knife in my bag ,told them it passed through Thai scan , nice man grinned ,confiscated it ,and I flew back here , Fishing Trip nearly went wrong. experts are they at Swampy?..

[Banzai99]

We'll know soon enough, Japanese prosecutors have 23 days to decide whether to prosecute or not.

He can get 10 years for that offence in Japan, but he wont have to sleep in a room with a 100 other inmates with no beds.

[rametindallas]

I'll eat my hat if those scandalous, way overpriced CTX scanners have been re-calibrated or even serviced since they were installed. It's called Security Theater in the US; they pretend to protect us at our expense/inconvenience and we, at least some of us, feel safer. If Kamronwit's son really is in Japan showing paperwork that the gun was legally bought in Thailand, then the headline makes the airport's director, Sirote Duangrat, look like a lying fool trying to cover-up the laxness of security at the airport he is responsible for. "Face". You have to laugh at the ridiculous lengths these guys will go to save it.

"Thai Airport Says Ex-Cop Arrested in Japan Didn't Bring Gun from Thailand". Then in the OP he goes on to quote him explaining how the gun really could have come through security but that it was not really a danger to the plane. You can't have it both ways, Khun Sirote. Either you claimed the gun didn't come from Thailand or you can sue the newspaper for misquoting you. Since Thailand has such a long history of reporters being scared to challenge patently BS statements by authorities, this has led to the authorities making the most inane comments as no one will point out to them how stupid it sounds (krieng jai - the act of never putting someone in and awkward or uncomfortable position), so they go blithely through life thinking they fooled everyone. Krieng jai is holding this country back as much as anything as there is no criticism; no criticism means there is no motivation for critical thinking. No critical thinking leads to poor planning... you see where I'm going with this?

.

[davehowden]

"When told that Camronwit was found with a gun and five bullets, which are explosive items, Phet said they may have been a small volume only. "We have to focus on the power to destroy and [cause] disaster," he said."

NOOOOOOO, we have to focus on the law that says you do not carry explosive devises onto planes in any form.

So many Thai officials say such stupid stupid things.

[Bluespunk]

"When told that Camronwit was found with a gun and five bullets, which are explosive items, Phet said they may have been a small volume only. "We have to focus on the power to destroy and [cause] disaster," he said."

Which a gun and five bullets will do!

[rametindallas]

I was caught with a knife in my bag ,told them it passed through Thai scan , nice man grinned ,confiscated it ,and I flew back here , Fishing Trip nearly went wrong. experts are they at Swampy?..

I was headed to Bangkok from Dallas when Narita Airport security found a knife in a carry-on bag of a passenger that came from either Dallas or San Jose (or worse, from some airport that fed passengers to those two international airports). Obviously US security is no better than Thailand's. When I was boarding, the Japanese were conducting random bag checks and pat-downs. The poor girl was so shy she only patted down my upper body and not very thoroughly at that. Airport security is a joke as You Tube is full of videos on how to beat the system. Airport administrators are lying when they say security is good.

.

[arthurboy]

'Focus on the power to destroy'? Utter tripe.

I'm sure one of those bullets to the head would destroy most of what's inside the skull...

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

No one takes responsibility for anything. Ever.

[apetley]

'Focus on the power to destroy'? Utter tripe.

I'm sure one of those bullets to the head would destroy most of what's inside the skull...

In the case if Camronwit it would only bounce around inside.

[trogers]

Like I have said, like a clip from the movie Wasabi...

[bristolgeoff]

the airport is trying to get away from what happened.how did a gun get into his hand luggage in the first place.no amount of tea money or anything will help him now.he should know better

[petedk]

I'll eat my hat if those scandalous, way overpriced CTX scanners have been re-calibrated or even serviced since they were installed. It's called Security Theater in the US; they pretend to protect us at our expense/inconvenience and we, at least some of us, feel safer. If Kamronwit's son really is in Japan showing paperwork that the gun was legally bought in Thailand, then the headline makes the airport's director, Sirote Duangrat, look like a lying fool trying to cover-up the laxness of security at the airport he is responsible for. "Face". You have to laugh at the ridiculous lengths these guys will go to save it.

"Thai Airport Says Ex-Cop Arrested in Japan Didn't Bring Gun from Thailand". Then in the OP he goes on to quote him explaining how the gun really could have come through security but that it was not really a danger to the plane. You can't have it both ways, Khun Sirote. Either you claimed the gun didn't come from Thailand or you can sue the newspaper for misquoting you. Since Thailand has such a long history of reporters being scared to challenge patently BS statements by authorities, this has led to the authorities making the most inane comments as no one will point out to them how stupid it sounds (krieng jai - the act of never putting someone in and awkward or uncomfortable position), so they go blithely through life thinking they fooled everyone. Krieng jai is holding this country back as much as anything as there is no criticism; no criticism means there is no motivation for critical thinking. No critical thinking leads to poor planning... you see where I'm going with this?

.

There was an article in the bangkok Post this morning stating that all scans are deleted after three days, so there are no records of the scans.

It went on to mention that (And I forget the exact words) the scanners may be in need of a service. Translated into English it means ... the scanners have never been serviced and are only for show, scanning only the largest of objects.

So, yes you are completely right.

[arfurcrown]

Seems as if there is a cover up going on regarding the (in)ability of the CTX scanners (which if you can recall were some years back being used for the showing of pornographic films) and the personnel who are supposed to be trained to operate the CTX scanners.

Bad workmen always blame their tool for failure. And poor managers blame their underlings for failures.

It certainly highlights the fact that security operations at Suvarnabhumi are shall we say '' flexible''

Seems as if a Muslims clerical headgear can be inspected for hidden weapons yet a retired police chief it seems is above suspicion!!

Edited June 26, 2015 by arfurcrown

[BritTim]

So, according to the article, he did not bring the gun from Thailand, but it has been registered to him there years ago. The explanation is simple. Ummm....

Seriously, it is not plausible that bought the gun in Japan. Even very few criminals have guns there. It would be difficult and very expensive. Intending to sell it there would be easier to believe.

[Songhua]

Ever seen so many excuses in one article?

The only thing missing is, "one of his staff packed his bag".

[Yunla]

"We did not discover any item that is dangerous to the aircraft," Sirote said.

We know, that's what all the fuss is about.

[FireMedic]

It just keeps getting better and better every day. I would love to see the look on his face now that he has to deal with a very serious and professional law enforcement group. It's up to 10 years for the gun, 3-10 for the bullets. If he goes free, Japan will lose serious face.

[ramrod711]

When told that Camronwit was found with a gun and five bullets, which are explosive items, Phet said they may have been a small volume only. "We have to focus on the power to destroy and [cause] disaster," he said.

Dangerous objects like the 5cm fingernail scissors that were confiscated from me. Of course I am not a Poo Yai

ex police chief friend of Thaksin.

[BigBadGeordie]

My favourite line from The Nation, so far this year, comes from post #2:

"It is believed that Japan uses the same procedure as Thailand's in investigating such cases, so more time is required."

I assume the Japanese Police will be submitting a charge for defamation and bringing their force into disrepute over that comment.

[Soutpeel]

Seems as if there is a cover up going on regarding the (in)ability of the CTX scanners (which if you can recall were some years back being used for the showing of pornographic films) and the personnel who are supposed to be trained to operate the CTX scanners.

Bad workmen always blame their tool for failure. And poor managers blame their underlings for failures.

It certainly highlights the fact that security operations at Suvarnabhumi are shall we say '' flexible''

Seems as if a Muslims clerical headgear can be inspected for hidden weapons yet a retired police chief it seems is above suspicion!!

Interesting perspective from people working with similar equipment in the US...

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/bagscan_pr.html

[Briggsy]

There will be a fudge of sorts. Japan has way too much invested in Thailand. Depends how much money and "favour capital" Kamronwit's family want to throw up to the relevant ministries in Thailand who will give something to or put pressure on the Japanese for an intervention. Seems it a bit late to let him off completely but a light sentence perhaps with an early release date with full prisoner privileges (very important in Japanese prisons) might be the pay-off. This is Asia, after all.

[jaidam]

This has been quite clear from the start. He went to Japan to meet gangsters/Yakuza as regards to clandestine investment either in Thailand or Japan for his billions of unlaundered bahts gained through his Shin connections and as ex-chief or one of the worlds largest criminal organizations(as per the FBI's words). This 80 persons on a garbage site viewing tours is BS. How do I know this? If the story had been as Kamronwit claimed to the Japanese authorities he would have been out already. If he lied(of course he would) and his story didn't check out then he would be detained further as has happened. When the Jap authorities discovered the identities of the gangsters he met the whole game changed. The mini gun was an honor gift from the Yakuza, it is a commonly bestowed gift in those circles I am told.

[ezzra]

Hurry up every one,,, assume ass covering position right now....