Cablegate: Blue Lantern Level 3: Pre-License End-Use Check On

VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBK #3232 3030632
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290632Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4845
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003232

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 05-050123710

REF: STATE 104441

1. (U) POL FSN October 22 visited the Royal Thai Navy's (RTN)
Department of Naval Ordnance in the Sattahip District of
Chonburi Province and met with Lt. Cdr. Somporn Phethai, the
Department's Administrative Officer. Somporn confirmed that
Royal Defence had offered to deliver 1,055 hand grenade fuzes
to the Department. Somporn said the transaction would not be
an official purchase, rather Royal Defence had offered the
fuzes to the RTN free of charge. Royal Defence is the Thai
sales representative for Combined Systems Inc. and was
attempting to open new lines of business with the RTN,
Somporn said.

2. (U) Reftel question: Will the fuzes be utilized in the
manufacture of riot control munitions? If not, in what type
of hand grenade will the fuzes be used?

Response: Somporn said the items would be kept on stock for
now as there was no current plan to use the fuzes. The RTN
had not planned to use the fuzes in the manufacture of
grenades. Some of the fuzes could be studied to learn the
structure and function.

3. (U) Somporn presented RTN's end user certificate and the
DSP-83 Form, which matched reftel information. There was no
purchase contract as Royal Defence offered to provide the
items to the RTN free of charge.
JOHN

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