The makers of the Alpha 6, ADE651 and the GT200 are all in the UK – hazard a guess they are not in the US after legal problems in the 90s for the previous companies selling the scam devices. So last Tuesday, BP sent an e-mail to the Brtish Embassy in Bangkok with some questions. As have not received an acknowledgement or a response so will post the contents of the e-mail below:

Attn: Communications Manager

I run a widely-read blog about Thai politics and the violence in the South of Thailand called Bangkok Pundit. I have blogged a number of times on the GT200 device and as the GT200 device is from the British company Global Technical, I have some questions to ask.

After the Newsnight investigation, BBC reports that the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills has issued a statement that “[t]ests have shown that the technology used in the ADE651 and similar devices is not suitable for bomb detection”

I have learnt privately that Newsnight were told directly by the BIS that the export ban applies also to the GT200, as it was deemed a similar device. For your information, the device taken apart by Sidney Alford for Newsnight was the GT200 device. Are you able to confirm this?

I have also learnt from Newsnight that the UK Embassy in Baghdad has advised the Iraqi government that the ADE651 does not work. Has the British Embassy in Bangkok or the British government advised the Thai government/government agency in Thailand that the GT200 or other similar devices from British companies do not work? If not, why not? Has the Thai government asked the British government, including the Embassy, for information about the GT200 device or similar devices from British companies? If so, what information was provided?

Finally, has the British government including the British Embassy provided assistance or made representations in relation to Thailand on behalf of Global Technical or British manufacturers of similar devices? If so, what assistance or representations were made?

Regards
Bangkok Pundit

BP: Regarding the last paragraph, what BP is getting at is the trade section of an embassy can provide support for companies who wish to export their products abroad so am interested to see if the trade section of the British Embassy assisted or whether someone from the Embassy made representations in defence procurement for a British company.