The military yesterday defended its raid at the Royal Thai Police headquarters on Thursday when soldiers arrested nine Israeli nationals and disrupted their demonstration of surveillance devices.
A group of soldiers raided a meeting room of the Special Branch Bureau located in the compound's headquarters in Bangkok, detaining nine Israeli staff members from a security company who had come to demonstrate the properties of communication interception devices which the Royal Thai Police have been planning to purchase.
The soldiers cited special powers under Section 44 of the interim constitution for the arrests and took the Israelis to the 2nd Cavalry Division for questioning. They were later released.
The move raised concerns over a possible rift between the police and military.
Army spokesman Winthai Suvaree said yesterday the military officers had informed police they were coming and insisted the military had no intention to detain anyone and the officers were not armed as had been widely reported.
He said most of the army officers were waiting at a car park close to where the equipment was set up. Once the meeting room briefing was over, the Israelis were escorted by police to the waiting officers.
Col Winthai said the operation amounted to nothing other than asking the Israeli supplier for clarification about certain devices but the coordination between the military and police had been rushed.
According to the spokesman, the military was concerned about import documents and wanted to make sure the equipment that had been brought into the country was in strict compliance with state regulations.
"The company's staff were asked to go to an army unit where they were advised [about the procedures]," he said.
National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang said yesterday the military was concerned the surveillance devices might have been imported without proper authorisation from the appropriate authorities so he invited the Israelis to have them inspected at the office.
According to Pol Gen Somyot, the soldiers then invited the company's representatives to their office to shown him the import documents.
The Israelis provided full cooperation and they were released on Thursday night.
He said the Israeli company insisted its devices were legally imported for demonstration purposes and police headquarters would reschedule the event.
The national police chief said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was informed of the incident and he had asked police to clarify it to clear up any public doubts.
Gen Prayut said there was no mistrust between the police and the military, adding that incorrect information about what happened had triggered speculation.
The prime minister yesterday dismissed the incident as a misunderstanding which had already been cleared up.
"There was a misunderstanding. The company representatives didn't use diplomatic channels. And they sometimes over-advertised [the capabilities of] their products. But it has been cleared up," he said.
Gen Prayut also said there was no distrust between the two forces and he called on media outlets not to play up the issue.