On Monday (June 22), Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit was arrested at Narita International Airport in Tokyo with a small handgun and ammunition while attempting to board a plane back to Thailand.
Japanese prosecutors will take between 10 and 20 days to decide whether to indict him. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday (June 25) the government would provide the former police chief with all necessary assistance.
Suvarnbhumi airport general manger Sirote Duangratana said a preliminary probe into the airport's security checks found that Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit's two carry-on bags and one checked-in bag had passed full security checks.
There was no revolver detected when Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit passed the terminal security checkpoint and when his checked luggage passed through the airport's CTX luggage scanner.
Mr Sirote presented CCTV images of the security checks conducted on Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit when he arrived at the airport last Thursday (June 18) and when he passed through the security checkpoint in the departures area.
But, he admitted, the airport was unable to provide evidence from the CTX luggage scanner as scanner records are only stored for three days.
"So we cannot prove whether or not Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit travelled with his gun," Mr Sirote said.
According to Vuttisorn Rochanapurananda, the airport vice-president overseeing the baggage handling system, this is normal practice, as recommended by the CTX manufacturing company.
The airport CCTV images show Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit checking in a 16-kg bag to be scanned and loaded onto the plane.
Mr Sirote said that after checking in for his flight, the former city police chief then directed himself towards the security checkpoint area.
"The former Metropolitan Police chief travelled as an ordinary passenger and did not go through a VIP gateway as was earlier reported," Mr Sirote said. His two carry-on bags were then X-rayed, the manager explained.
Meanwhile his checked-in luggage passed the first stage of the CTX scanner, and since they had found nothing suspicious in this first scan, airport staff did not submit the luggage to four other stages of examination the CTX scan offers.
However, these records are no longer available, Mr Sirote reiterated.
The images also showed the retired police officer had to pass through a walk-through X-ray machine twice as the alarm sounded the first time. He removed his shoes, which were X-rayed as well, and passed the second time without any further problems.
All security measures at Suvarnbhumi airport are up to national and international standards, Mr Sirote insisted.
"All airports worldwide use the same procedures as we do. Narita airport also applies the same measures as Suvarnbhumi," he added.
"Our employees also have no apparent reason to have let Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit pass through the checkpoint with a weapon, nor could they have handed him one," he said.
All CTX equipment at Suvarnbhumi is up to Transport Security Administration standards and is functioning perfectly, Mr Vuttisorn said.
"They are able to detect any weapon or traces of explosive substances above 300mg," he said.
Petch Chuncharoen, deputy director of Suvarnbhumi airport, said the main objective of the airport CTX scanner is to detect explosives.
"The CTX machines are designed to detect materials or explosives that can destroy an aircraft and firearms. The bullets found in the revolver may not have contained enough gunpowder for the machine to detect," he said.
Airports of Thailand board chairman Prasong Poontaneat said Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit may face a charge of carrying firearms without permission when he returns to Thailand. The charge carries a two-year jail term and/or a fine of B80,000.
An AoT source said Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit checked in at the Thai Airways International counter with a female passenger. They passed through the body scanner and their carry-on luggage was checked.
The source said Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit had already checked in at Narita when he was summoned to verify his checked-in luggage. After doing so, Japanese authorities showed him the gun found in his luggage and took him away for questioning.
According to the source, the CTX scanners were selected for use because of the in-line screening system recommended by the ICAO. The equipment has been in use since the airport opened, but its efficiency may have deteriorated over time.
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