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

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003643 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 APPLICATION 050132445 REF: STATE 121959 ¶1. (U) Summary: Results from Post's conversations with March Aviation and the Naval Air Division of the Royal Thai Navy indicate that Aeromiltec doctored the purchase order from March Aviation. Post notes that reftel requests a pre-license check; however, helmets have already been delivered by Aeromiltec to March Aviation. End Summary. ¶2. (U) According to the Thai Ministry of Commerce, March Aviation Co., Ltd. was listed. Registration No. 0105538041921 Registered Date: March 31, 1995 Status: Limited Partnership Capital Registration: 2,000,000 baht Executive: Sirinart Anantapong Company Location: 19/2 6 Soi Lat Phrao 126 (Kranphon),Lat Phrao Rd., Wang Thong Lang Sub-District, Wan Thong Lang District, Bangkok The company has submitted annual financial reports for 1999-2007. Purpose of Company: To import and sell aviation, armored vehicle, and ship equipment. ¶3. (U) The company was listed in the telephone directory. The phone was 02-934-1600 which corresponds with reftel and the business registration. ¶4. (U) POL FSN December 9 visited the March Aviation office and met Darunee Wisitchainon, Office Manager, and Wichet Phetphrai, General Manager. Darunee showed POL FSN the procurement contract between the Naval Air Division (NAD) of the Royal Thai Navy and March Aviation, Ref. 88/Ngor. Por. 2551, dated July 3, 2008, and March Aviation's purchase order to the Aeromiltec Ltd., Ref. AMT-08-097, dated June 19, 2008, signed by Sirinart Anantapong. ¶5. (U) Darunee said March Aviation had not prepared an end-user certificate for this transaction because nobody had asked for such a certificate. Darunee stated that she had no knowledge of the invoice between Aeromiltec and Bender Aircraft, dated 11/10/08. Darunee said that NAD had wanted to buy ten SPH-5 white helicopter helmets of three sizes: seven extra large, one regular, and two small. These helmets were to be delivered to NAD by January 29, 2009. March Aviation had ordered from Aeromiltec ten SPH-5 white helicopter helmets in different sizes from the purchase order, seven large and three regular, because Aeromiltec had told March Aviation that the small size was out of stock and would no longer be produced. ¶6. (U) Aeromiltec, contrary to the purchase order with March �A;Aviation, had delivered seven extra large and three regular SPH-4B olive green helicopter helmets. Darunee said that March Aviation has tried to settle this discrepancy but had been unable to succeed. The items had arrived at March Aviation July 17, 2008, and had been kept at the company since then. March Aviation would keep the items until Aeromiltec corrected the delivery or NAD agreed to accept the items. POL FSN viewed the helmets, which were being kept in a paper box in an unsecured public space on the first floor of the office. POL FSN advised March Aviation to securely store the helmets. ¶7. (U) March Aviation was located in a new, three-story building in a busy city area. Six or seven employees were observed at the office. The facility has CCTV but did not have a fire prevention system. Darunee stated that a guard patrolled the premises at night. ¶8. (U) Darunee and Wichet were surprised that the purchase order Aeromiltec submitted to Bender indicated a requirement of twenty helmets. They both denied submitting an order of that amount and suspected that Aeromiltec doctored the order. In addition, Aeromiltec had never informed March Aviation that they would deliver SPH-4B helmets. ¶9. (U) Darunee and Wichet said that after the contract was awarded by NAD to March Aviation, the company contacted Gentex for information on how to order. Gentex told March Aviation to contact Transaero, Inc., the authorized distributor for Gentex. Transaero was located at 35 Melville Park Rd., Melville, NY, 11747. Gary Collins, a sales representative at Transaero, had told March Aviation to contact Aeromiltec in Switzerland in order to complete the transaction. Darunee and Wichet had no knowledge of Bender Aircraft Parts, Inc. ¶10. (U) POL FSN December 9 visited the Naval Air Rework office of the Naval Air Division at Utapao Naval Air Base in Rayong. POL FSN met Royal Thai Navy Captain Nirutti Khamsan, Deputy Director of the Rework Facilities. Nirutti confirmed the purchase and presented the procurement contract between the Naval Air Division and March Aviation, Ref. 88/Ngor. Por. 2551, dated July 3, 2008. The purchase contract requested seven extra large, one regular, and two small SPH-5 white helicopter helmets. Nirutti said he was surprised that the purchase order had changed to twenty sets of helmets. Nirutti said that he had worked with March Aviation for approximately twenty years and had never had a problem in dealing with the company. He had no knowledge of foreign entities involved in the purchase as that was March Aviation's line of business. Nirutti said he did not have copies of March Aviation's purchase order no. AMT-08-097 nor the invoice between Aeromiltec and Bender Aircraft. Nirutti said NAD had not yet agreed to take the helmets because the specifications and color did not match NAD's requirements. If NAD accepted the helmets, they would be stored at the Rework Facilities' warehouse inside Utapao Naval Air Base. The base is protected by armed guards. JOHN