A scientific test on the controversial GT200 bomb detector was completed yesterday. Results should be ready for analysis and conclusions today, or by tomorrow morning, in time for the Cabinet's weekly meeting.
The test began in the morning at the Sirindhorn Science Home within the Thailand Science Park in Pathum Thani. Five parts were undertaken without problems before noon, and continued for 20 times, as required by a committee, by the evening. The test results of all 20 parts have been stored in a deposit box and will later be analysed jointly by the committee.
The committee, chaired by Science Minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, comprises three components: The central board which supervises the test under preset conditions and specifications; a team that hid explosives among four decoy objects and a team that searched for the explosives using GT200 devices. The search team consisted of 30 ordnance officials each from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
Kalaya said the prime objective of the test was to ascertain the device's efficacy. This would be immediately reported to the Cabinet on Tuesday, and it would also want to have GT200s from other state agencies tested, along with other devices at a later stage. The GT200 devices tested yesterday are those used by police and military units in the South.
