US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5445

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005445 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, PM/DTCC -- BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
(JSTITZIEL) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, KOMC, TH, BLUE LANTERN 
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3:  PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK 
ON APPLICATION 05-972748 
 
REF: SECSTATE 151155 
 
1.  Per reftel request, POL FSN made inquiries into the bona 
fides of Kornyuth Limited Partnership and determined the 
following information. 
 
Kornyuth is registered with the Thai Ministry of Commerce, 
Department of Business Development as: 
 
The Kornyuth Ltd., Partnership Ltd. Capital Registration 
200,000 Baht 
 
The registration lists 3 partners in the concern: 
Ms. Oranat Bunyachai with shares worth 50,000 Baht 
Mr. Suadet Bunyachai with shares worth 100,0000 Baht 
Mr. Surasak Bunyachai with shares worth 50,000 
 
Manager of the Company is Ms. Oranat Bunyachai Address: 33 
Burapha Road, Pra Kanhon District, Bangkok.  The Company has 
submitted annual financial reports for the years 1999-2004 
 
2.  Pol FSN met with Mr. Prawet, Chief of the Shop Permit 
Section of the Thai Ministry of Interior's Department of 
Provincial Administration, Bureau of Investigation and Legal 
Affairs, Public Service Center.  Prawet provided copies of 
permits from his Ministry allowing the import/purchase of 20 
.38 revolvers and 10 9 mm. pistols to Ms. Oranut Boonyachai 
of Kornyuth Ltd.  The documents provided by Mr. Prawet concur 
with those in reftel.  Prawet was unaware of the USML and its 
restrictions but, after being briefed on its requirements, 
said that, according to Thai law, a non-Thai who lives in 
Thailand for more than six months is allowed to buy a gun and 
is able to take that gun out of the country via appropriate 
customs procedures.  However, the foreign buyer has to pass 
the same state background check that a Thai national must 
pass. 
 
3.  Pol FSN made an unannounced visit to Kornyuth and 
described it being located in a one room four-story 
combination residence office building located on a busy 
street in a neighborhood with a number of gunshops. It does 
not have CCTV and the glass in front of the shop had no bars. 
 The shop is inspected by the MOI every four months.  The 
shop had five different signs displaying different businesses 
in front.  While there, he met Ms. Oranut Boonyachai, the 
manager, and Mr. Winai Muangprasoet, a shop custodian. 
 
4.  They presented copies of MOI Permits dated June 5, 2005 
to expire on June 4, 2006, allowing the establishment of 
Kornyuth and permission to possess and sale firearms.  Ms. 
Oranut confirmed the accuracy of the Ministry of Commerce 
registrations and showed copies of a July 29, 2005 purchase 
order No.D047/05 SW prepared by Smith & Wesson's Thai 
distributor, the Louis T. Leonowens Co., Ltd.  . 
 
5.  Ms. Oranut related that she and her family altogether own 
7 gun shops, including Kornyuth, and that each shop is 
allowed to sell 30 pistols/revolvers, 50 rifles, and various 
types of ammunition to total about 50,000 rounds annually. 
 
7.  Other questions raised in reftel: 
 
How long has the company been in business and who are its 
principles? 
 
Kornyuth Ltd. has been in business since 1975, but Ms. 
Oranut's family has been in the gun business for several 
years previously.  Principles are listed above, all members 
of the same family. 
 
Who are its typical customers and where are they located? 
 
Thai citizens -- civilians, police, soldiers, state 
officials.  Before buying a gun, a customer must obtain a 
license to purchase a weapon from the MOI's Gun Registration 
Section and pass a background check.  Pol FSN saw records 
indicating that annual sales by Kornyuth total about 1.3 
million Baht. 
 
Does the company have an established, legitimate customer 
base to which it plans to sell these firearms. 
 
Any Thai citizen with the appropriate license may purchase 
from Somboon. 
 
Does the company keep proper, detailed records? 
 
Yes.  All licenses and records of buyers and guns sold are 
well documented both at the shop and at MOI.  These are kept 
in hard copy only (not computerized) and are maintained for 
ten years. 
 
Does the company understand the restrictions of the USML 
articles? 
 
Ms. Oranat seemed well versed in the restrictions. 
BOYCE