US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5446

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005446 
 
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 05-972741 
 
REF: SECSTATE 151249 
 
 1.  Per reftel request, POL FSN made inquiries into the bona 
fides of Somboon Firearms Ltd and determined the following 
information. 
 
Somboon is registered with the Thai Ministry of Commerce, 
Department of Business Development as: 
 
The Somboon Firearms Co. Ltd. 
Capital Registration 240,000 Baht 
The registration lists 8 partners in the concern: 
Ms. Suwanna Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 10,000 Baht 
Mr. Suphat Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 40,000 Baht 
Ms. Rattana Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 40,000 Baht 
Mr. Chaiwat Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 40,000 Baht 
Mr. Thanin Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 80,000 Baht 
Ms. Ubon Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 10,000 Baht 
Ms. Wanthani Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 10,000 Baht 
Ms. Suphanni Laohaphiengsak with shares worth 10,000 Baht 
 
Manager of the Company is Ms. Suwanna Laohaphiengsak 
Address: 111 Nakhon Sawan Road, Wat Sommanat Sub-District, 
Pomphrap Satruphai 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 10 
.357 revolvers by Ms. Suvanna Laohaphiengsak of the Somboon 
Firearms Co. 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 Somboon and 
described it being located in a five story combined 
residential/office building beside a main road near a police 
station.  Pol FSN noted no security guard, no CCTV, and no 
iron grill on the first floor window.  The office was closed 
but a char employed there was present.  The building had no 
sign or symbol identifying it as a gun shop.  The domestic 
employee explained that the building was for administrative 
purposes and that weapons ordered by Somboon are actually 
stored and sold by Rattana Fireworks Ltd, a subsidiary of 
Somboon. 
 
4.  Pol FSN visited Rattana Firearms Ltd (address 105 Charoen 
Krung Road, Unakan Intersection, Wamb Burapha Sub-District, 
Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok 10200/  Tel 02-221-4638)   The 
enterprise is located in a neighborhood with a number of gun 
shops.  Rattana has four employees and one CCTV inside the 
shop and two cameras outside.  There was a guard present when 
Pol FSN visited but no iron grill on the front window. 
There, he met Ms. Suwanna Laohaphiengsak, Manager of both the 
Rattana and the Somboon Firearms companies. 
 
5.  Ms. Suwanna presented copies of her permits from the MOI 
which concur with those outlined in reftel.  She also 
presented another set of MOI Permits set to expire on June 
18, 2006 allowing the establishment/registration of Somboon 
Firearms Ltd. and permission to sell firearms.  Ms. Suwanna 
confirmed the accuracy of the business registration at the 
Thai Ministry of Commerce outlined above and the Somboon 
Firearms purchase/import order No. D035/05 SW signed by her 
on July 27, 2005, prepared by Smith and Wesson's distributor 
in Thailand, the Louis T. Leonowens Co., Ltd. 
 
6.  Ms. Suwanna related that she and her seven brothers and 
sisters altogether own 32 gun shops, including Somboon, 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? 
 
The Somboon Firearms Ltd. has been in business since 1975, 
but Ms. Suwanna's family has been in the gun business for 
over 50 years.  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. 
 
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). 
 
Does the company understand the restrictions of the USML 
articles? 
 
Ms. Suwanna seemed well versed in the restrictions.  She 
noted that Thailand's own gun regulations are strict and that 
any foreigner wishing to buy a gun must have the a Residence 
Permit and his Embassy's approval in addition to the 
requirements outlined for Thai nationals. 
BOYCE