PM Prayut: Thailand will request for compensation from the GT200 case

[chainarong]

Gen Anupong is ready to cooperate in a probe on GT200 “bogus” bomb detectors deal

Yes, "bogus" is a more apt term than "faulty."

This in itself is very serious case, personal could have been seriously injured or killed , it is a blight on the Thai military's record and leadership that they didn't even evaluate the GT200, the people responsible for procurement should be taken to task, senior military figures who signed off on this buying spree should all have those wings clipped including the former defence Minister, a dereliction of duty if ever there was one by all concerned ......................................... .

Indeed, purchase of these bogus devices by these imbeciles resulted in a series of clusterfunks - the Wiki article on the GT200 references dozens of stories that cannot be linked to on this forum, so I will just quote the Wiki article itself:

• Three members of a border patrol police unit were killed on 7 November 2008 in Panare District when the GT200 they were using failed to detect a bomb planted on a road.
• In the Mueang Yala District of Yala Province, security forces used a GT200 to investigate the scene of the murder of two officials, but were unable to detect a follow-up boobytrap bomb, which exploded just after they had declared the area to be clear of bombs.
• Numerous people were killed and injured in two bomb attacks in October 2009 in which the GT200 was used by security forces.
• On 6 October 2009, a car bomb exploded opposite the Merlin Hotel in Su-ngai Kolok, killing one person and injuring 20, after it had been "scanned" using a GT200 and declared to be free of explosives.
• A motorcycle bomb exploded on 19 October in Yala, injuring another 26 people, again after a scan with a GT200 had returned negative results for explosives.

False positives have also been reported, with civilians being arrested after a GT200 "detected" traces of explosives on them. Similar erroneous readings were reported to have caused "pandemonium" at Pattani Hospital. On one occasion the device was reported to have "incriminated the top of a coconut tree", though it was said the alert turned out to have been triggered by a plastic bag with vegetable oil inside. Thai journalist Charoon Thongnual reported personally experiencing the GT200 showing false positives:

A device used by a defence volunteer pointed repeatedly to a motorcycle parked in front of the Pattani Provincial Court. However, a search of the motorbike discovered nothing illegal. In another incident, a device pointed at a handbag carried by a female college student in Pattani who was strolling with friends near the CS Hotel. A search of her bag found cosmetics and other items that were completely lawful.

Hundreds of people are said to have been detained by Thai security forces on the basis of GT200 readings. According to Human Rights Watch, about 10 percent of those detained on suspicion of involvement in the insurgency have been arrested on this basis. In one village in Narathiwat Province, 32 people were arrested after GT200s were used to "detect" traces of explosive substances on their bodies. Most of them were detained without charge for an extended period. Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch commented: "It is common during security sweeps in the south to see Muslim men lined up on the roadside with their shirts off while being screened by a GT200. Many of those implicated by the GT200 have been arrested and then tortured."

Anybody involved in the purchase of these devices should be thoroughly investigated for fraud, as well as retrospectively sacked from their positions (and having to pay back their undeserved salary since they signed off on the purchases.

I am afraid the same old same old will develop , nothing will get done,, nothing achieved, they'd been better off getting some Mine pro gold detectors and going gold detecting in their spare time, in the closed down gold mines

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Lets start with the cost of these devices, it was in total B 1,4 billion. Of this amount B 1 billion was paid to 2 Thai companies who's names has been withheld and only B 400 million went to the Brit. Please tell us who the 2 comoanies were ?

During YS regime tests was done to prove to the army that the devices dont work. When the devices failed these tests the army said that the operators energy level was down and thats why it didnt work. When asked to comment on this the dear Pornthip said that science cant explain everything. After this she was demoted only to be reinstated by the junta. I wonder why ? Correct me if I am wrong but I havent seen her acknowledge that she was wrong.

This devices was used to put people into jail, many people was locked up because this device showed they was in contact with explosives, guns or drugs. What are this government going to do about these people ?

I can ask another hundred questions but that will have the same effect as farting into the wind. As long as the civil servants, the rich and those who wear uniforms are above the law, this country cant change for the better only for the worse.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Lets start with the cost of these devices, it was in total B 1,4 billion. Of this amount B 1 billion was paid to 2 Thai companies who's names has been withheld and only B 400 million went to the Brit. Please tell us who the 2 companies were ?

During YS regime tests was done to prove to the army that the devices dont work. When the devices failed these tests the army said that the operators energy level was down and thats why it didnt work. When asked to comment on this the dear Pornthip said that science cant explain everything. After this she was demoted only to be reinstated by the junta. I wonder why ? Correct me if I am wrong but I havent seen her acknowledge that she was wrong.

This devices was used to put people into jail, many people was locked up because this device showed they was in contact with explosives, guns or drugs. What are this government going to do about these people ?

I can ask another hundred questions but that will have the same effect as farting into the wind. As long as the civil servants, the rich and those who wear uniforms are above the law, this country cant change for the better only for the worse.

[eddie61]

Strange little people

[NCC1701A]

Where was the testing done,Soi cowboy,

that is where I do all my testing.

[Winniedapu]

Lets start with the cost of these devices, it was in total B 1,4 billion. Of this amount B 1 billion was paid to 2 Thai companies who's names has been withheld and only B 400 million went to the Brit. Please tell us who the 2 companies were ?

During YS regime tests was done to prove to the army that the devices dont work. When the devices failed these tests the army said that the operators energy level was down and thats why it didnt work. When asked to comment on this the dear Pornthip said that science cant explain everything. After this she was demoted only to be reinstated by the junta. I wonder why ? Correct me if I am wrong but I havent seen her acknowledge that she was wrong.

This devices was used to put people into jail, many people was locked up because this device showed they was in contact with explosives, guns or drugs. What are this government going to do about these people ?

I can ask another hundred questions but that will have the same effect as farting into the wind. As long as the civil servants, the rich and those who wear uniforms are above the law, this country cant change for the better only for the worse.

Correct me if I am wrong but I haven't seen her acknowledge that she was wrong.

As I understand it, she how says that she never believed they work.

She must be Thai. Only lies when her mouth is moving.

W

[Emster23]

Can there be a counter suit to get the bribes back? Perhaps a deal can be reached and supplier will provide the new and improved GT300, which does have a battery in it. Not connected to anything, but has a battery......

[williamgeorgeallen]

It was also sold to another 23 countries around the world. And you know the saying. You cannot con an honest man?

plenty of honest men get conned out of houses and cars by their beautiful thai brides. remember a few years ago australian bought some frigates from the yanks? aussies were not allowed to inspect the boats hull for some reason, but decided to buy them any way. replacing the rotten hulls cost more than buying the boats in the first place. and lets not mention those collins class subs they bought as well. lots of military and govt funds spent in irresponsible ways but this bomb detector one is one of the best. how hard would it have been to open the case up to look inside?

[Bench499d]

I think the government of Thailand will find the UK will not compensate them unless they provide very specific details regarding the purchases by Thailand. Certainly, if the UK gets a whiff of corruption (heaven forbid), they might ask for even more information.

That money comes with strings attached.

Break out the popcorn.

One would hope so.

It is probably hoped in certain circles that the compensation will be paid in cash. I'm sure a suitable courier can pick up the envelopes from the back door of the embassy...

The UK government better not give a single penny back on this....not sure why the taxpayer has to foot the bill for a fraudster's actions!!

I am sure that no money will ever be paid back by the guy who is now in prison.

Agree with others that he should get more than 10 years, personally I think Thailand should extradite him on murder charges then he can spend the rest of his days in the Bangkok Hilton.

[sead]

He added that it will not be necessary to reopen the investigation into the procurement of the bomb detectors.

Or course it won't...

The fact that morons in 13 Thai government agencies were duped into handing over hundreds of millions of baht for these useless empty plastic cases, though completely unsurprising, should be a national shame.

On another note, I wish they would stop using the term "faulty." The devices were not faulty, they never worked in the first place.

When the device's case was dismantled on BBC Newsnight in 2010, it was found to contain no electronic components whatsoever. Explosives expert Sidney Alford told Newsnight: "Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8478857.stm

This clip from Nation Channel (

) shows an interview with Lt Col Somchai Chalermsuksan of the Thai Central Institute of Forensic Science. In the clip host of the show comments 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 asks, "So it is just two pieces of plastic put together?"

Newsnight also found that the "sensor card" consisted only of 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 too contained no electronic components whatsoever.

So, no, they weren't "faulty." The manufacturer knew they didn't do anything whatsoever, let alone detect explosives, so the fact that he sold them to the Thai government as explosives detectors does in no way mean they were "faulty" because they didn't detect explosives.

Edit: wrong link to the BBC program

Rofl

Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case

That made my day haha.

Now if only Sweden would win tonight's soccer it would make it a little better

[Eric Loh]

Just not 1 honest enough man or woman to run the country unfortunately .

Until that figure arrive in politics & general public education improves nothing will change besides how low thailand gets ranked & even that can only go so low :-/

Can't disagree to that but any elected government is better than a military government. At least an elected government you get the chance to kick the party out compare to current situation whereby an election is only at the pleasure of the junta.

[JAG]

I think the government of Thailand will find the UK will not compensate them unless they provide very specific details regarding the purchases by Thailand. Certainly, if the UK gets a whiff of corruption (heaven forbid), they might ask for even more information.

That money comes with strings attached.

Break out the popcorn.

One would hope so.

It is probably hoped in certain circles that the compensation will be paid in cash. I'm sure a suitable courier can pick up the envelopes from the back door of the embassy...

The UK government better not give a single penny back on this....not sure why the taxpayer has to foot the bill for a fraudster's actions!!

I am sure that no money will ever be paid back by the guy who is now in prison.

Agree with others that he should get more than 10 years, personally I think Thailand should extradite him on murder charges then he can spend the rest of his days in the Bangkok Hilton.

I rather agree, but the UK would not extradite him. 1) Thailand has a junta government resulting from a military coup, 2) Thailand retains the death penalty for murder. I know that they haven't applied it for a long time, but they retain it. That's a no no.

[baboon]

^^

Don't be too sure. They extradited Lee Aldhouse...

[dhream]

Pay us for our incompetence and stupidity UK. After all, they've been doing it back home since we were military cadets.

Edited June 22, 2016 by dhream

[dhream]

I have a new pontoon bridge to sell the army. It's called the Brooklyn 5000. No batteries required. The mayor of NYC is expecting you. He's having it packed up as we speak. Honest!

[kaorop]

Can they now pursue the countless billions of baht corrupted out of the system in the last X amount of years by Thais

with the same vigor?

Oh yeah what was I thinking.