VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBK #2175/01 2391019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271019Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8093
INFO RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FORT GEORGE G MEADE MD PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BANGKOK 002175 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TH
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON LICENSE 
050181625 
 
REF: STATE 78948 
 
¶1. (U) According to the Thai Ministry of Commerce, Krungthai 
Firearms, Ltd. was listed. 
 
Registration No. 0103510012517 
Registered Date: September 13, 1967 
Status: Limited Partnership 
Capital Registration: 750,000 baht 
Partners: Amornthep Sajathep, with an investment of 500,000 
baht, and Saovanee Bin Muhammad, with an investment of 
250,000 baht. 
The managing partner is Amornthep Sajathep. 
Company Location: 2/46, Burapha Rd., Wang Burapha Phirom 
Sub-District, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 
The company has submitted annual financial reports for 
1999-2008. 
Purpose of Company: To import and sell guns and ammunition. 
 
¶2. (U) Krungthai was listed in the telephone directory as 
indicated reftel.  However, the house number of Krungthai, as 
provided by the directory was 2/46, not 2/45 as stated 
reftel. 
 
¶3. (U) We visited Krungthai August 13 at a busy shopping mall 
called "The Old Siam Plaza."  Kulbeepal Singh Sachdev 
(Songwut in Thai) confirmed the reftel sale and transaction 
of the weapons.  The weapons will be purchased via the 
"Welfare Project for the Government Officials" managed by 
Bureau of the Investigation and Legal Affairs.  All buyers 
are government officials or elected/selected administrators 
of local administrative organizations.  These individuals are 
qualified to purchase firearms per their status as government 
officials.  In addition, many are law enforcement officials. 
The firearms would be the private property of the buyers who 
use their own money to purchase the weapon.  Buyers would use 
the weapons for self defense, their duty, for sporting 
purposes, or for collecting.   The weapons, once they arrive 
at the airport, would be transported to Krungthai's secure 
room for inspection and labeling.  Then they would be 
delivered to the Bureau of the Investigation and Legal 
Affairs for distribution. 
 
¶4. (U) Songwut presented all reftel documents and all details 
matched.  Krungthai has a Permit for Sale of Firearms and 
Ammunitions for Commercial Purpose, issued by Bureau of the 
Investigation and Legal Affairs, No. 74/2552, dated July 8, 
2009, to expire July 7, 2010, renewable.  Import permits for 
945 units as follows: 
 
- Import Permit No. 466/2552 to 481/2552 (16 permits) for 
import of .45 ACP Colt, each for 50 units. 
- Import Permit No. 482/2552 for import of .45 ACP Colt, for 
83 units. 
- Import Permit No. 483/2552 for import of .38 Super Colt, 
for 60 units. 
- Import Permit No. 357/2552 is for import of .45 Colt, for 2 
units 
 
This is only a portion of the larger project.  Krungthai was 
awarded contracts for 2,000 sets from the Welfare Project. 
Songwut added that Krungthai was part of a gun shop network 
under the parent company Erawan Firearms Part., Ltd.  Erawan 
has eighteen gun shops nationwide.  (Note:  We conducted a 
Blue Lantern investigation on Erawan in 2006, 06 BANGKOK 
¶07586. End note.)  Erawan also provides a secure room for gun 
storage pending delivery, and some of Krungthai Thai's 
firearms would be stored there.  (Note. The shops are located 
approximately 15 meters apart. End note.)  The Erawan secure 
room measured approximately 2 meters x 4 meters x 3 meters 
with concrete walls and iron covering.  There are six CCTV 
cameras and one or two night guards inside the shop. 
Krungthai has a secure room with about the same 
characteristics with 8 CCTVs. 
 
¶5. (U)  The Bureau of the Investigation and Legal 
Affairs-Ministry of Interior is a state agency under the 
Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) at the Ministry 
of Interior (MoI).  Per the agency's website, its 
responsibilities are: 
 
- Examining, working, and giving advice on all legal matters 
under jurisdiction of DPA. 
- To investigate criminal offenses; to direct and coordinate 
the maintenance of public order and safety; to suppress 
crimes and to facilitate for public fairness practices under 
jurisdiction of District Chief. 
 
- To work with, or support the functions of other related 
state agencies, or to perform duties as assigned. 
 
¶6. (U) We met August 13 with Prawet, Chief of Gun Shop 
Registration Section and Somkhit Jaiyim, Director of Bureau 
of Investigation and Legal Affairs.  This office was located 
at the Department of Provincial Administration.  Both 
officers affirmed of the firearm purchase and transaction as 
described reftel.  The program was under the DPA Welfare 
Project for government officials who want to have guns.  This 
round contains a total of more than 2,000 items.  More than 
twenty rounds have been completed since the project began in 
February 1992.  The project will continue and  last day for 
ordering firearms this year will be September 30.  2,000 to 
3,000 items are purchased annually.  Qualified government 
officials for this project are primarily from the MoI 
(central and provincial officials, sub-district 
chiefs/village chiefs, territorial defense volunteers and 
officials, and administrators of local organization 
administrations), and police and military personnel.  Prawet 
presented copies of all Import Permits.  They matched those 
provided by Krungthai.  The Bureau will deliver this lot of 
weapons to the listed officials who have ordered and paid, or 
partly paid, for these guns once the Bureau has received them 
from the private contractor. The buyers have to pick up their 
guns in person at the Bureau with the supporting/contracted 
documents. 
 
¶7. (U) Firearms in this project become the personal assets of 
the buyers.  However, officials are allowed to use their guns 
in performing official duties or in the capacity of law 
enforcement officials because the government provides 
inadequate guns.  Each individual is responsible for the 
storage and security of the gun.  The MoI, through local gun 
registrars, monitors the guns. 
 
¶8. (U) Prawet and Somkhit said the Bureau has approximately 
290 officials, and approximately 70 have law enforcement 
duties.  There are no government-issued weapons at the 
Bureau.  The MoI has tens of thousands employees.  Like other 
law enforcement personnel, MoI officials prefer to buy and 
use their own guns rather than using those of the government. 
 Somkhit and Prawet showed us the secure room for storage of 
weapons pending their delivery.  The walls were concrete and 
the windows and gates have iron bars.  The entrance and the 
cabinets each have three locks and require three officials to 
be present to open.  There are guards and CCTVs at all times. 
 
 
¶9. (U) Fixtech Co., Ltd. was listed in Ministry of Commerce 
website: 
 
Registration No: 0105538141429 
Registration Date: November 28, 1995 
Status: Company Limited 
Company Executives: Dissatat Dejthamrong, Thanisom 
Dejthamrong, Surapee Dejthamrong, and Aphinya Wongwiwatchai. 
Capital Registration: 10,000,000 baht 
Company Location: 142 Building Pacific Place 2, Sukhumvit 
Rd., Khlong Toei, Bangkok. 
This Company has submitted for 1999-2008. 
Purpose: To sell firearms and all types of war equipment 
 
¶10. (U) We visited Fixtech August 13 and met Bussaba 
Kriengmahasak.  The company was the distribution 
representative for Colt.  Bussaba confirmed this purchase and 
confirmed the accuracy of the documents provided by Krung 
Thai and the Bureau of Investigation and Legal Affairs. 
JOHN