SOUTHERN UNREST / NEW DEVICE, REBEL ATTACK, GOVT POLICY CLARIFIED

'Better' spike sweeper tested

PRASIT TANGPRASERT

Nakhon Ratchasima _ The disaster prevention and mitigation centre region 5 has designed a car-mounted nail sweeper which it claims can clear roads of spikes left by southern insurgents. The nail sweeper is fitted to the front of a vehicle. It is made from aluminium which makes it light and practical, said Witthaya Wachira-angkul, director of the centre. It weighs only 100kg, three times lighter than conventional spike sweepers now in use.

His centre would hand over the device to the Interior Ministry, which would test its efficiency. If the sweeper passed the test, more would be made and sent to the deep South, where insurgents commonly leave nails on roads to puncture the tyres of military and police vehicles.

He said Interior permanent secretary Pongpayome Vasaputi had asked his centre to develop a sweeper which could get rid of all types of spikes. Other sweepers in use in the deep South, which rely on magnets, cannot pick up spikes made of aluminium, he said.

During an initial test-run, the nail sweepers were proven to be effective in sweeping all kinds of nails from the roads.

The aluminium sweepers cost about 50,000 baht each to make, compared to the metal sweepers now in use which cost about 30,000 baht each, he said.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Saturday April 21, 2007