Navy spokesman Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin explained the news regarding the CSI LA Facebook page, which revealed that documents from the navy had been leaked. It alleged that tens of thousands of M855 and M856 cartridges, as well as upto a thousand of 40mm grenades were missing from the arsenal of the Naval Ordnance Department in Sattahip.
The navy spokesperson said that the incident occurred on July 5 when the Navy received a report from the Royal Thai Marine Corps that Naval Ordnance Unit found discrepancies during the annual inventory check of its warehouse. It was discovered that a certain number of items were missing from the inventory. An investigation is currently underway to determine the exact quantity of the missing items.
The Naval Ordnance Unit conducted a review using closed-circuit cameras and interviews with personnel on duty. It was found that an ordnance officer had illicitly accessed the warehouse multiple times using duplicate keys. The suspect is currently absent from duty and has been unreachable since July 6.
Based on the preliminary investigation, guards on the premises understood that the suspect’s action was carried out as part of routine duties and there is no apparent involvement by anyone else. The Naval Ordnance Unit has filed a complaint at the Plutaluang Police Station in Sattahip on July 7 and is currently gathering additional evidence and conducting a joint investigation to track down the suspect and the missing items.
In response to the incident, the navy chief Adm Choenchai Chomchoengpaet has appointed a fact- finding committee and emphasized the need for the harshest penalties. The committee to investigate violations of regulations was also set up to ensure that the perpetrator is held accountable.
Regarding a question raised on social media why a large quantity of ammunition has gone missing at this time when a neighboring country is experiencing conflicts and when the public is dissatisfied with the prime ministerial vote by senators, the navy spokesman clarified that this has no connection to those case in any way and urged caution in presenting such information, as it could impact international relations and create misunderstandings among the general public. (TNA)
