Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANGKOK7586
2006-12-26 04:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:
BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBK #7586/01 3600403 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 260403Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3627 INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS BANGKOK 007586
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC -- BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR MROMERO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TH
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK
ON LICENSE 05-050020252
REF: SECSTATE 198159
UNCLAS BANGKOK 007586
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC -- BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR MROMERO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TH
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK
ON LICENSE 05-050020252
REF: SECSTATE 198159
1. According to the website maintained by the Thai Ministry
of Commerce, Department of Business Development
(www.dbd.go.th),Erawan Firearms Ltd, Partnership is listed
as follows:
Registration No. 0103510012525
Registered Date: 13 Sept 1967
Name: The Erawan Firearms Ltd., Part.
Capital Registration: 5, 500,000 Baht
Business Partners: Mr. Kulbeepal Singh Sachdev, Mr.
Amornthep Sachdev, Mr. Veerathep Sachdev, Mr. Uthain Sachdev
Manager of the Limited Partnership is Mr. Uthain Sachdev
Location: 2/9, 2/10 Bureapha Road, Wang Burapha Phirom
Sub-District, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok
The business submitted financial reports for 1999-2005
Purpose of company is to import, wholesale, and retail sale
guns and ammunition.
2. According to the Telephone Directory, Erawan Firearms is
listed and has a phone number as outlined in reftel and an
address at 2/9-2/10 Burapha Road, Wang Burapha Phirom
Sub-District, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
3. On December 19, PolFSN made an unannounced visit to the
business where he met Mr. Kulbeepal Singh Sachdev, a Thai
national and one of the business owners. The business is
located on the ground floor of a concrete shopping plaza.
Mr. Kulbeepal and his three sons showed PolFSN around the
business and answered the following questions:
Can you confirm the order of rifles under license
05-050020252?
Yes. Mr. Kulbeepal presented three permits for importation
of firearms issued by the Department of Provincial
Administration numbered 829/2549, 830/2549, and 831/2549
dated September 15, 2006 and valid until September 17, 2007.
The information in the permits corresponded with the
information contained in reftel.
One discrepancy was noted, the original licensee in the
permits was listed as "the National Firearms Ltd., Part.:
which is a sister shop of Erawan and managed by Mr. Veerathep
Sachdev. National Firearms has authorized Erawan to order
this lot of weapons on its behalf. The authorization was
approved by the Department of Provincial Administration.
Mr. Kulbeepal also presented a copy of Erawan's Purchase
Orders No. E49905, E49906, and E49907, all dated October 9,
2006 and signed by Mr. Kulbeepal, to the RSR Group Inc. to
purchase the weapons specified in reftel.
The document referenced in reftel (described as a Government
of Thailand Permit to Order or Import Firearms) was not
recognized by Mr. Kulbeepal. He had no copy of that document
and said it did not relate to the purchase of weapons
outlined in reftel.
National Firearms Ltd. Partnership is listed in the Commerce
Ministry website as:
Registration Number 0103506001778
Registered Date: 8 March 1963
Capital Registration: 850,000 baht
Business Partners: Mr. Inder Singh Sachdev, Mr. Kulbeepal
Singh Sachdev, Mr. Veerathep Sachdev, Mr. Uthain Sachdev.
Mr. Veerathep Sachdev is named as the manager.
Location is 35 Sasong Road, Wt Ratchabophit Sub-District,
Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
The business has submitted financial reports from 1999-2006.
Who will be the specific end-users of these high-caliber
rifles?
Wealthy clients or gun collectors. On rare occasions, these
types of weapons are sold to government officials.
Is it legal for private citizens to own high-caliber rifles?
They are not prohibited by law or listed on the Thai list of
prohibited weapons. The weapons can only be sold to persons
with permits issued by the Department of Provincial
Administration.
Where will the rifles be stored prior to sale?
In a storage room at Erawan. The room is concrete with
reinforced 3-4 mm iron sheets covering the walls. The shop
itself has iron sheets on all walls except the front (which
has a large glass window). There are three medium-sized safes
inside the storage room to contain the weapons. The storage
room itself is locked.
The shop has CCTV and guards posted inside and out. The
shops front window does not have bars.
Can you confirm the security of all items in inventory?
Yes. Mr. Kulbeepal presented a gun inventory in a large
ledger containing the types, manufacturers serial numbers and
Thai registration numbers of the weapons together with the
purchasers' names and personal data. Officials from the
Department of Provincial Administration inspect the inventory
periodically.
How long has Erawan been in business and who are its
principal officers?
The company has been in business since 1967, is family run as
outlined in the registration documents. Erawan has two
sister firearms shops managed by the same family members:
the aforementioned National Firearms Ltd. and Sahathep
International Ltd., Partnership. It also owns 11 gun shop
licenses and gun shops located in Chainet, Prachuap
Khirikhan, Lopburi and Loei provinces.
Who are the regular customers and where do they reside?
Most clients live in Bangkok, some live up country. They are
made up of the general Thai public, civil servants and law
enforcement officers with permits issued by the Department of
Provincial Administration.
Are the owners familiar with the restrictions governing the
import of U.S.-origin defense articles, in particular, the
prohibition against unauthorized re-export?
Yes. Thai law also prohibits any gun shop from re-exporting
imported weapons.
4. PolFSN also visited the Ministry of Interior's Department
of Provincial Administration and met with Chief Kittiphong
Yot-aphikun to discuss the case. Kittiphong confirmed Erawan
is a licensed and bona fide importer/retailer of firearms
with permit number 25/2549 issued on April 27, 2006 and valid
until April 26, 2007.
Kittiphong provided copies of three permits to import
firearms issued to National Firearms Ltd. numbered 829/2549,
830/2549 and 831/2549 dated September 15, 2006 and valid
until September 14, 2007 corresponding to the information
contained in reftel. Kittiphong had a record of National
Firearms authorizing Erawan to order the lot of weapons on
its behalf.
According to Interior Ministerial Regulation No 11 (B.E.
2522-1979) issued under the authority of he Firearm,
Ammunition, Explosive Articles, Fireworks and Firearm
Imitation Article Act of 1947, Thai nationals may purchase
rifles of not more than 20 mm. Mr. Kittiphong and his staff
told PolFSN that they routinely issued permits to Thai
nationals wishing to purchase rifles similar to those
outlined in reftel. The most common use for the weapons is
hunting.
Post has no derogatory information related to Erawan.
ARVIZU
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC -- BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR MROMERO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TH
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK
ON LICENSE 05-050020252
REF: SECSTATE 198159
1. According to the website maintained by the Thai Ministry
of Commerce, Department of Business Development
(www.dbd.go.th),Erawan Firearms Ltd, Partnership is listed
as follows:
Registration No. 0103510012525
Registered Date: 13 Sept 1967
Name: The Erawan Firearms Ltd., Part.
Capital Registration: 5, 500,000 Baht
Business Partners: Mr. Kulbeepal Singh Sachdev, Mr.
Amornthep Sachdev, Mr. Veerathep Sachdev, Mr. Uthain Sachdev
Manager of the Limited Partnership is Mr. Uthain Sachdev
Location: 2/9, 2/10 Bureapha Road, Wang Burapha Phirom
Sub-District, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok
The business submitted financial reports for 1999-2005
Purpose of company is to import, wholesale, and retail sale
guns and ammunition.
2. According to the Telephone Directory, Erawan Firearms is
listed and has a phone number as outlined in reftel and an
address at 2/9-2/10 Burapha Road, Wang Burapha Phirom
Sub-District, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
3. On December 19, PolFSN made an unannounced visit to the
business where he met Mr. Kulbeepal Singh Sachdev, a Thai
national and one of the business owners. The business is
located on the ground floor of a concrete shopping plaza.
Mr. Kulbeepal and his three sons showed PolFSN around the
business and answered the following questions:
Can you confirm the order of rifles under license
05-050020252?
Yes. Mr. Kulbeepal presented three permits for importation
of firearms issued by the Department of Provincial
Administration numbered 829/2549, 830/2549, and 831/2549
dated September 15, 2006 and valid until September 17, 2007.
The information in the permits corresponded with the
information contained in reftel.
One discrepancy was noted, the original licensee in the
permits was listed as "the National Firearms Ltd., Part.:
which is a sister shop of Erawan and managed by Mr. Veerathep
Sachdev. National Firearms has authorized Erawan to order
this lot of weapons on its behalf. The authorization was
approved by the Department of Provincial Administration.
Mr. Kulbeepal also presented a copy of Erawan's Purchase
Orders No. E49905, E49906, and E49907, all dated October 9,
2006 and signed by Mr. Kulbeepal, to the RSR Group Inc. to
purchase the weapons specified in reftel.
The document referenced in reftel (described as a Government
of Thailand Permit to Order or Import Firearms) was not
recognized by Mr. Kulbeepal. He had no copy of that document
and said it did not relate to the purchase of weapons
outlined in reftel.
National Firearms Ltd. Partnership is listed in the Commerce
Ministry website as:
Registration Number 0103506001778
Registered Date: 8 March 1963
Capital Registration: 850,000 baht
Business Partners: Mr. Inder Singh Sachdev, Mr. Kulbeepal
Singh Sachdev, Mr. Veerathep Sachdev, Mr. Uthain Sachdev.
Mr. Veerathep Sachdev is named as the manager.
Location is 35 Sasong Road, Wt Ratchabophit Sub-District,
Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok.
The business has submitted financial reports from 1999-2006.
Who will be the specific end-users of these high-caliber
rifles?
Wealthy clients or gun collectors. On rare occasions, these
types of weapons are sold to government officials.
Is it legal for private citizens to own high-caliber rifles?
They are not prohibited by law or listed on the Thai list of
prohibited weapons. The weapons can only be sold to persons
with permits issued by the Department of Provincial
Administration.
Where will the rifles be stored prior to sale?
In a storage room at Erawan. The room is concrete with
reinforced 3-4 mm iron sheets covering the walls. The shop
itself has iron sheets on all walls except the front (which
has a large glass window). There are three medium-sized safes
inside the storage room to contain the weapons. The storage
room itself is locked.
The shop has CCTV and guards posted inside and out. The
shops front window does not have bars.
Can you confirm the security of all items in inventory?
Yes. Mr. Kulbeepal presented a gun inventory in a large
ledger containing the types, manufacturers serial numbers and
Thai registration numbers of the weapons together with the
purchasers' names and personal data. Officials from the
Department of Provincial Administration inspect the inventory
periodically.
How long has Erawan been in business and who are its
principal officers?
The company has been in business since 1967, is family run as
outlined in the registration documents. Erawan has two
sister firearms shops managed by the same family members:
the aforementioned National Firearms Ltd. and Sahathep
International Ltd., Partnership. It also owns 11 gun shop
licenses and gun shops located in Chainet, Prachuap
Khirikhan, Lopburi and Loei provinces.
Who are the regular customers and where do they reside?
Most clients live in Bangkok, some live up country. They are
made up of the general Thai public, civil servants and law
enforcement officers with permits issued by the Department of
Provincial Administration.
Are the owners familiar with the restrictions governing the
import of U.S.-origin defense articles, in particular, the
prohibition against unauthorized re-export?
Yes. Thai law also prohibits any gun shop from re-exporting
imported weapons.
4. PolFSN also visited the Ministry of Interior's Department
of Provincial Administration and met with Chief Kittiphong
Yot-aphikun to discuss the case. Kittiphong confirmed Erawan
is a licensed and bona fide importer/retailer of firearms
with permit number 25/2549 issued on April 27, 2006 and valid
until April 26, 2007.
Kittiphong provided copies of three permits to import
firearms issued to National Firearms Ltd. numbered 829/2549,
830/2549 and 831/2549 dated September 15, 2006 and valid
until September 14, 2007 corresponding to the information
contained in reftel. Kittiphong had a record of National
Firearms authorizing Erawan to order the lot of weapons on
its behalf.
According to Interior Ministerial Regulation No 11 (B.E.
2522-1979) issued under the authority of he Firearm,
Ammunition, Explosive Articles, Fireworks and Firearm
Imitation Article Act of 1947, Thai nationals may purchase
rifles of not more than 20 mm. Mr. Kittiphong and his staff
told PolFSN that they routinely issued permits to Thai
nationals wishing to purchase rifles similar to those
outlined in reftel. The most common use for the weapons is
hunting.
Post has no derogatory information related to Erawan.
ARVIZU