PM says GT200 proven to be ineffective

The GT200 bomb detector has been found ineffective in field tests and no more of the devices will be purchased, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday.

Mr Abhisit said this at a press conference in the presence of army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda.

He said field trials by a committee of the Science and Technology Ministry found that the GT200 correctly detected explosives only four times in 20 tests.

“GT200 itself cannot be used alone without help from other devices,” said the prime minister.

Mr Abhisit said all units using the British-made GT200 would be informed of the negative results so that they would no longer take the risk of using it. Most of field units had earlier expressed confidence in the device.

He said that use of GT200 had never been cited to support a legal case. It had been used only to detect explosives at the spots where incidents had occurred.

Bangkok Post