VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBK #3643/01 3500643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150643Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5375
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
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
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