BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS BANGKOK 006129 SIPDIS SIPDIS PM/DTTC FOR BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC TH SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON LICENSE 05-050070198 AND 05-050071878 REF: A. SECSTATE 157006 ¶B. KBALLARD-THINES DECEMBER 6 EMAIL ¶1. (U) According to the Ministry of Commerce, Department of Business Development, Aekphatt Firearms Ltd Partnership is registered as follows: Registration No. 0103511003562 Registered Date: March 6, 1968 Status: Limited Partnership Name: Aekphatt Firearms, Limited Partnership Capital Registration: 2,550,000 baht Business partners: Chatri Sukthawi, Krit Khantapura, Thanyaphat Suwanphanit, Thawisak Manprasong, and Phimphloi Phongphakdi. Managing Partners: Chatri Sukthawi, Krit Khantapura, and Thawisak Manprasong. Chatri, Krit, or Thawisak may make a legal commitment with the shop's stamp. Location: 507/37 Mu 7, Nong Pling Sub-District, Nakhon Sawan District, Nakhon Sawan Province The company has submitted annual financial reports for 1999-2006. Business Purpose: To sell guns, ammunition, equipment, and gun accessories. ¶2. (U) According to the Telephone Directory Center, Aekphatt Firearms Ltd., Part. is not listed. Krit Khantapura, a Managing Partner, provided the firm's telephone number as 02-623-8688-9. The Directory Center subsequently reported that these numbers are registered under the name of Worathep Khantapura, located at 2/5, Old Siam Plaza, Phahurat Road, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200. Worathep is the father of Krit Khantapura, a Partner Manager. ¶3. (U) POL FSN December 6 made an unannounced visit to the firm. It is located in a four-story concrete building in a section of Bangkok where many other gun shops are located. POL FSN met with Krit and Worathep Khantapura. The shop is located at 2/5 The Old Siam Plaza, Bangkok, as stated in Ref. ¶A. Krit and Worathep confirmed the planned purchases of 1,770 .38 Cal. and 820 .357 Cal. revolvers from Smith and Wesson Corp. for the Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior, as stated in Ref. A. The purchasing agency is the Bureau of the Territorial Defense Volunteer Administration of the Department of Provincial Administration. Krit confirmed the information as found in the business registration and presented the shop's Gun-Selling and Possession Permits issued by the Ministry of Interior, No. 214/2550, dated September 18, 2007, to expire September 17, 2008. Aekphatt opened a head office in Nakhon Sawan in 2006 and the Bangkok office is now a branch office. Chatri Sukthawi, a partner, provided copies of import permits No. 570/2550, dated June 28, 2007, to expire June 27, 2008, for the import of 1,770 revolvers and No. 571/2550, dated June 28, 2007, to expire June 27, 2008, for the import of 820 revolvers. He also provided the copies of Aekphatt's Purchase Orders No. 1/2007 and No. 2/2007, not dated, to the Smith & Wesson for the purchases of the revolvers. ¶4. (U) POL FSN met December 6 with Somchai Kiatkongkaew, Chief of the Welfare Section, Bureau of the Territorial Defense Volunteer Administration, Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior. Somchai is responsible for the purchase of the revolvers and confirmed the two purchases as stated in Ref. A. Somchai presented the purchase order for 2,590 revolvers (1,770 and 820) No. 101/2550, dated October 5, 2007, signed between Bureau of the Territorial Defense Volunteer Administration and Aekphatt, and an official letter issued by his Bureau in English, dated July 2007, confirming the purchase. ¶5. (U) Additional questions per Ref. B: What are the procedures by which MoI distributes these firearms to other agencies and/or individual law enforcement officials? Answer: The guns have been ordered by Bureau of Territorial Defense Volunteer Administration in Bangkok and will be sold to government officials in the security sector. The guns will be kept in controlled storage prior to sale by the Bureau. Officials must pick up the gun in person and present permits in order to receive the gun. These guns are not sold to any other agency. Does the Government of Thailand maintain records that identify each firearm by serial number and to whom each firearm has been distributed? Answer: Each gun would have both US and Thai serial numbers. The Bureau of Registration Administration, Ministry of Interior, will maintain these records along with the name, address, and other information for each individual purchasing a gun. What requirements exist for an individual to purchase a firearm from MoI? Answer: 1) The purchaser must be a government or state official (police, military, MoI officials, or civil servants working in a security-related field),and 2) must obtain permission to buy the gun from their supervisor and the local registrar (Bureau of Registration Administration for Bangkok purchasers and District Offices in the provinces) based on the Thai Firearm, Ammunition, Explosive Articles, Firework and Firearm Imitation Article Act 1947. What are the limitations, if any, for an individual who seeks to do so? Answer: Guns purchased under this program cannot be resold or transferred to others, except as an inheritance. The purchasing official must use personal funds to buy the gun, not state funds. Ordinary citizens are prohibited from purchasing guns under this program. An official who wants to purchase a gun under this program must not already own a gun or have purchased a different type of gun from a separate source. Officials can only purchase a gun from this program once in their career. What weapons are being replaced by MOI and in what quantity? Answer: None. These guns are for private/individual use, not for government use or for replacement purposes. What will be done with the older firearms? Answer: N/A, as stated above. Does the Government of Thailand have specific procedures to collect the firearms that are being replaced? Answer: N/A, as stated above. What security measures are taken by MoI to manage the chain of possession of these firearms? Answer: After distribution, it is the individual owner's responsibility to secure the gun. The Bureau of Registration Administration will be the agency to track the guns to ensure that they remain in the possession of the licensed owners. ¶6. (U) Prior to distribution, the guns will be stored in an iron-walled facility that measures approximately five by ten by three meters. The room is located inside a one-story concrete building on the compound of the Bureau of the Territorial Defense Volunteer Administration. The iron walls are approximately five millimeters thick. The room has an iron gate with two key-locks for access. There is a closed-circuit television camera in front of the room. The room does have smoke detectors or a fire control system. At night and on holidays, ten armed guards secure the compound with two guards stationed in front of the storage facility. BOYCE