Somyot wants new pistols for Thai police

[Stradavarius37]

ownership of pistols cannot be transferred to others, unless they are inherited by children from their parents.

Is this a joke? How long will it take after that to see the first wipe out shooting in primary school?

I think you have Thailand confused with the U.S....

[Stradavarius37]

Ooh. a triple header. No fool this guy.

Commisasion on purchase.

Kickback when selling to coppers.

Commission on selling the old guns.

Impressive opportunity, not often you see a triple header - even in Thailand.

Triple headers most nights in Pattaya -

[Kannikapor88]

152,000 new guns to the = 152,000 old guns out in the streets ... Why let your old gun go in the drawer, better get some Cash no matter who buy it - getting more and more unsafe by the day this country

[Morakot]

handguns for police as personal property for official use

Please don't tell me they are introducing a 'bring your own device' scheme for police guns.

Thai cops must buy their own guns (and uniforms and motorbikes) ... with their own money ... hence, "Personal Property"

Thanks for shedding light onto this. If this is true, one doesn't need to wonder why there is so much corruption. Not only get police officers a low salary but they are also expected for fork out for their gear.

[Maestro]

It's a good idea to standardise weapons like this. What I am wondering is what will happen to all the handguns presently owned by police officers. Many no doubt will be sold off. Thailand has enough firearms floating around at present, does it really need thousands more in circulation?

There is nothing about standardisation in the OP. Quite the contrary, in fact:

This was part of a voluntary "welfare scheme" to procure the 9mm Sig Saucer Model P320 handguns for police as personal property for official use at an affordable price (Bt18,000). The weapons would supplement official handguns that were not sufficient and less modern due to limits on the procurement budget, according to the letter.

The acquisition by the policemen is voluntary, and they continue to use also the old guns. There is the part of the welfare scheme, though. Buy this new gun, or you won't fare well.

[mikeoxwelling]

"ownership of pistols cannot be transferred to others, unless they are inherited by children from their parents."

For real?!?! The kids are crazy enough as it is with their highly inflated ego's and sense of entitlement, now you want to give them a gun by default through inheritance ? The mind boggles!

[amerasianex]

What! police do not get Police Dept issued weapons and motorcycles? Is this a police force or a traveling Circus?......

[Morakot]

What! police do not get Police Dept issued weapons and motorcycles? Is this a police force or a traveling Circus?......

Yes, hard to believe. Perhaps someone can verify such a claim.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Morakot

[Srikcir]

Buying 152,469 Sig Sauer pistols from a manufacturer in the United States.

I'm sure the Russians and Chinese will not let this go without a bid of their own. After all, it is with Russia and China that the Junta has a Security Agreement and not the USA. The Junta can just barter some rubber and rice in exchange.

[little mary sunshine]

Easy to pack for their trips to Japan. 555555

[Guest]

2,744,442,000 THB

80,718,882 USD

May I say, even a 1% "Commission" on that, is a pretty good day!

[boomerangutang]

Why do I not trust a decision by the same man who put himself in charge of the KT case at the same moment the prime suspects were let off free with a handshake, and two scapegoats were hauled to jail with no bail. .....the same man who, for many moons, when everyone else knew the bogus bomb detectors were an expensive scam, claimed they were fine.

[Kasset Tak]

I found from some P320 online with $550-650 retail price today so it's not even a bargain for the officers who buys them!

But to compare... the teachers here were offered to buy cheap guns!? I looked at a Glock 17 (9mm) for ONLY 100,000 Baht, that's about $3100 compared to $550 in the states!!

[casualbiker]

I found from some P320 online with $550-650 retail price today so it's not even a bargain for the officers who buys them!

But to compare... the teachers here were offered to buy cheap guns!? I looked at a Glock 17 (9mm) for ONLY 100,000 Baht, that's about $3100 compared to $550 in the states!!

The model Sig chosen usually retails about $630-659 in the USA. So considering that Thai import duties have to be paid its a reasonable price.. And by all accounts a great hand gun.

[impulse]

I found from some P320 online with $550-650 retail price today so it's not even a bargain for the officers who buys them!

But to compare... the teachers here were offered to buy cheap guns!? I looked at a Glock 17 (9mm) for ONLY 100,000 Baht, that's about $3100 compared to $550 in the states!!

The model Sig chosen usually retails about $630-659 in the USA. So considering that Thai import duties have to be paid its a reasonable price.. And by all accounts a great hand gun.

Why would they pay VAT or import duties for their service weapons? And buying over 100,000 of them should put them in the "wholesale" category, not retail.

Great hand gun, and this may be an above board deal. But it's certainly not transparent.

[casualbiker]

I found from some P320 online with $550-650 retail price today so it's not even a bargain for the officers who buys them!

But to compare... the teachers here were offered to buy cheap guns!? I looked at a Glock 17 (9mm) for ONLY 100,000 Baht, that's about $3100 compared to $550 in the states!!

The model Sig chosen usually retails about $630-659 in the USA. So considering that Thai import duties have to be paid its a reasonable price.. And by all accounts a great hand gun.

Why would they pay VAT or import duties for their service weapons? And buying over 100,000 of them should put them in the "wholesale" category, not retail.

Great hand gun, and this may be an above board deal. But it's certainly not transparent.

Everything gets duties on it.. Remember the fire trucks.. Duty had to be paid..there was talk that the police chief wanted the import duties waived for the guns. Not sure if that was approved!

And yes I agree... Why?

Only answer TIT!

[sammygood]

"the 9mm Sig Saucer Model P320 handguns"

that must be the chinese version of the Sig SAUER

why, police don't shoot enough people ? if it is just to threathen & collect

[balo]

18000 baht , Thais will line up for this, not only police cops I'm afraid....

[PETERTHEEATER]

This is the model, in case anyone is interested. For some reason, it is cheaper than other models.

There is another model in that range with the barrel pointing vertically down to enable shooting ones-self in the foot.

[Fat Haggis]

I wonder how many will come with "threaded" barrels?

[Dap]

What! police do not get Police Dept issued weapons and motorcycles? Is this a police force or a traveling Circus?......

Yes, hard to believe. Perhaps someone can verify such a claim.

What I say can hardly be construed as a verification but, I have personally assisted my

police friend with funds for new uniform items and have assisted with maintenance on

his sidearm when he absolutely was unable to afford the basics to do so

[boomerangutang]

I already feel sorry for farang who will get shot by Thai cops in the future. More than once, a uniformed or off-duty cop has shot a pretty farang backpacker gal - stemming from a such immature emotional outbreaks as: jilted advances, perceived taunts, drunken tupor. And it's not only pretty farang gals that get shot by Thai cops who are usually drunk and/or in an emotional rage of some sort..........

...and now we hear these guns can get handed down to sons and daughters. It almost gives a person a warm fuzzy feeling, related to rapid blood loss.

[bangon04]

"ownership of pistols cannot be transferred to others, unless they are inherited by children from their parents."

that is a big "unless". Doesn't say the parents must be dead already...

and what about lending your Sig to your idiot gangster son to play with on his nights out with his friends, or technical college gang fights?

Still, if you buy a nice new subsidised Sig, then you can let the teenagers have the old revolvers to play with....

Thailand really needs a large number of cheap imported guns ....

Edited July 21, 2015 by bangon04

[Basil B]

Why make them buy them?

They should be police property, collect from the police armourer at their police station when going on duty and returned when going off duty.

[GaoYuk]

To solve the problem of 152,000 more guns coming into the country, maybe if an officer wants to buy a new firearm he should hand his old one over to be pulped...

[boomerangutang]

Future newspaper headline:

21 yr old Somsak Vipprakhan allegedly ran over and killed a woman and her twin daughters, while he was speeding through a red light in Bangkok. He tried to flee the scene but crashed in to a noodle shop a block away. When police arrived, Somsak shot one in the stomach, then ran 120 meters further down the road, but was and was tackled and held firm by a quick-witted fried cricket vendor. When Somsak was asked where he got the gun, he said, "I got it from my daddy. He's a policeman." A judge put his bail at Bt.30,000, and authorities are now surprised that he's fled the country.

[casualbiker]

To solve the problem of 152,000 more guns coming into the country, maybe if an officer wants to buy a new firearm he should hand his old one over to be pulped...

You mean the one the officer got with his own money.. Right, that's not likely is it!!

[casualbiker]

Why make them buy them?

They should be police property, collect from the police armourer at their police station when going on duty and returned when going off duty.

Police here tend to carry them at all times. Mainly to protect themselves should a villain decide to get revenge, I believe it's similar in the USA.

[BigBadGeordie]

Why make them buy them?

They should be police property, collect from the police armourer at their police station when going on duty and returned when going off duty.

Police here tend to carry them at all times. Mainly to protect themselves should a villain decide to get revenge, I believe it's similar in the USA.

Ah well that makes it all OK then, as we know there are no gun problems in the USA.

[casualbiker]

Why make them buy them?

They should be police property, collect from the police armourer at their police station when going on duty and returned when going off duty.

Police here tend to carry them at all times. Mainly to protect themselves should a villain decide to get revenge, I believe it's similar in the USA.

Ah well that makes it all OK then, as we know there are no gun problems in the USA.

Well to be fair anyone that does a dangerous job probably needs to protect themselves!