Lawmakers Challenge Police Bomb Disposal Kit Pricing
A Pheu Thai legislator challenged the National Police Office's 600,000-baht price tag per bomb disposal kit, questioning why the basic equipment costs 4 to 15 times more than comparable international products during House budget deliberatio
During a House of Representatives session on September 10, 2569, at 9:40 a.m., Deputy House Speaker Lertsak Pathanachaikul presided over deliberations on the 2570 fiscal year budget totaling 3.78 trillion baht. Air Force Squadron Leader Kittipong Piyawannono, a Pheu Thai list member, challenged the National Police Office's budget allocations during section 27 debates covering non-ministerial agencies and those under the Prime Minister's oversight.
Kittipong questioned the procurement of 50 bomb disposal equipment sets at 600,000 baht per set, totaling 30 million baht. He noted that according to technical requirements, each set comprises approximately 40 items, many of which are basic tools like ropes, hooks, nails, thread-locking compound, rubber liners, folding knives, pulleys, and other fundamental equipment—not complex technology. While acknowledging the equipment must meet quality standards and be suitable for this high-risk task, he emphasized that expertise, experience, and proper procedures—not expensive ropes or hooks—determine success in explosive ordnance disposal work.
Kittipong compared prices from international manufacturers: one U.S. manufacturer listed approximately 120,000 baht per set (3,600 dollars), another U.S. manufacturer approximately 140,000 baht (4,250 dollars), and a Chinese manufacturer approximately 40,000 baht per set (1,200 dollars). While acknowledging that public website prices are not final procurement costs and exclude shipping, taxes, warranties, and operational expenses, he stressed that a gap between 40,000-140,000 baht market prices and the police's 600,000-baht asking price—representing a 4 to 15-fold markup—cannot be explained by such standard costs alone.
Kittipong called on the police to justify the pricing and detail where the additional hundreds of thousands of baht per set would be spent and what specific features justify the premium over commercially available products. He also proposed an alternative: procuring individual items domestically rather than complete imported kits, citing examples such as Kevlar rope (5.5 millimeters, 120 meters) available within Thailand at approximately 14,400-21,000 baht per set according to police specifications.
