Suthep confident officers can work well without GT 200

BANGKOK, 19 February 2010 (NNT) – Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Suthep Thaugsuban has voiced confidence in the ability of security officers stationed in the restive south to work efficiently without GT 200 bomb detectors proven to be ineffective by specialists.

Speaking about the controversial bomb detectors, Mr Suthep said he believed security officers could still effectively operate no matter what device was used due to their experiences. He said the officers had earlier worked quite well without the GT 200.

The deputy prime minister stated that the officers would be trained harder from now on to detect explosive objects without using GT 200. He noted that efficient operations in the restive south did not depend on the device but on strategy formulation. He also called on the local residents not to be worried about the issue.

GT 200 bomb detectors are making headlines after they were criticized for being expensive but ineffective. The army purchased the device at different prices from 900,000 THB to 1,200,000 THB each while some other units bought it cheaper.

A panel of the Ministry of Science and Technology conducted a test and concluded that the bomb detectors were inefficient. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva then ordered all units to scrap their plans to purchase GT 200.