Mobile X-Ray Machine used at Pattaya Police Checkpoint in South Pattaya

Posted on at 4:06 pm
<#img src="http://www.pattayaone.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/28_07_55_2_4.jpg" alt="Mobile X-Ray Machine used at Pattaya Police Checkpoint in South Pattaya" style="width:690px; margin-top:-50px" border="0" />

Pattaya Police, for the first time, used a mobile x-ray machine to randomly scan vehicles at a Police Checkpoint located on Pattaya Second Road in front of Mike Shopping Mall in the early hours of Saturday. Police Colonel Pisit, Deputy Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police led the operation which used a Mobile x-ray machine fitted to a minivan, which is currently touring Thailand. The Royal Thai Police currently have only one of the x-ray machines which is being trialled to test its effectiveness and further units will be ordered should the trials be successful. It can scan either parked or moving vehicles from a distance of 5 meters and for safety reasons drivers and passengers are advised that anyone who may be pregnant should exit the vehicle prior to the scan. The two hour checkpoint led to no arrests and no seizures of weapons or drugs which the machine is designed to detect. As a precaution all drivers and passengers who were stopped were also subjected to a body search in case they removed items from their vehicles prior to the scan. The x-ray van is expected to remain in Pattaya over the weekend.



  • Robert

    Sad that people can be exposed to radiation such as that here with absolutely no knowledge, choice or consent and little recourse if it is harmful. Sadly the police state mentality seems to be coming to Thailand, especially since the sad results of the last general election.

  • craig

    So they think this can scan moving vehicles? ….and they would be looking for what? …….and what will analyze the data of a moving car that just happens to contain a lot of parts and sometimes legitimate cargo? Sounds like nonsense to me. What they need is a good old fashion crystal ball.

  • Wally

    I’m glad the stops are clearly marked so I’ll know why my Gai Yang is burnt by the time i get home.

  • Lazar

    Only way the trials will be a success if police also scan the marked cars

  • John Guru

    What a farce – 1 machine so far for all Thailand!! 2 hours and didn’t detect anything. Oh hum!! Sounds a bit like those 9 Million Baht of bomb detectors that the Army purchased – don’t work corruption scam, but some Pooyai gets rich from the CONTRACT.

  • Rob

    @Robert …. people go through this type of machine every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every year at every airport in the world with no choice in the matter. So it’s not just Thailand!

  • Jake

    They tried this machine in Bangkok a couple of weeks ago….it didn’t work. In fact it broke down because of the heat. Imagine that a machine that is susceptible to excessive heat in a tropical climate zone….that is all before any discussion of them having not a clue how to tactically deploy or even what they are looking for.

  • Robert

    @Rob Actually the airport is different for 2 reasons; 1. You do have a choice in the airport, you can demand to be searched manually, granted you’re going messed with for doing so. 2.You at least know it’s happening. Also, I would suspect that the dosage or power from a machine designed to look under clothes is likely a lot less than one intended to penetrate a steel vehicle.

  • adrian

    I think the ONLY thing to be scanned should be EMPTY vehicals,definitely not people. They should only be operated by skilled operators who know the dangers.If you have an x ray in hospital everyone keeps well clear because they know the risk.

  • Robert

    @ Jake Yes, sadly they do usually work and they are Western technology. Welcome to 1984.
    http://autos.aol.com/article/x-ray-truck/

  • Jake

    @Robert…Yes its the same technology basically that is used on the U.S. Border crossings…the officially manned ones anyway and also at the major seaports in conjunction with radioactive scanners. In the hands of Thailand’s finest law and disorder types however it is just an expensive and useless toy.

  • Phil

    Don’t knock the idea too much yet. It could lead to increased sales of mobile phones and ipads. Well that’s if the information not to allow your electronics to be scanned at airports is correct.