The four-legged detectors are universally recognized as the most effective means of detecting explosives. As CNN recently reported, dogs are the "cheapest, fastest, and most reliable" capability the world has today. Sniffer dogs have something better than any machine: instinct.

Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand, head of a procurement team to buy Sabre 4000 and Fido machines, had earlier strongly defended the GT200, saying the discredited machine was meant only for primary detection - people who use it must also use their own judgment.

The question was if these new devices will also offers "judgment" that a human has or "instinct" that dogs have.

Those who argue against using man's best friend for security tasks say they have limitations, that they are "high maintenance", and dogs can be lost if bombs explode, or they can fail if they get car-sick while traveling. There are also cultural or religious sensitivities - dogs are not always welcome in Muslim communities.

These reasons could be dismissed because of the living testimonial - the fact that sniffer dogs have been in service in the restive South for more than a decade under operations of the Anothai military dog platoon, which is better known as the Yalae Unit in Pattani's Nong Chik district.

The unit now employs 54 handlers or officers and 34 dogs, mostly German Shepherds or Labradors. Although with the GT200 used in the South since 2007, the Yalae unit's role appears was overshadowed by the device.

The claim that dogs are "high maintenance" could be dismissed, according to an interview given recently by officers at the Yalae Unit to Isra news team. They said the cost of the training each sniffer dog is about Bt100,000, and that includes the cost of buying imported pedigree dogs, which averages about Bt30,000 each. The main upkeep for dogs is their food. The most expensive premium imported dog food costs about Bt30,000 per year, plus their medical costs are about Bt1,800 annually. Considering that each dog can offer eight to 10 years of service, it is more economical and effective than using the GT200.

Captain Pattanasak Prasomsri, commander of the Anothai military dog platoon, said not a single sniffer dog had been killed or injured by a bomb explosion during their many years in service in the field. "It has been proven, time and again, that the dogs have never failed in their missions," he was quoted telling Isra.

In regard to cultural or religious taboos, while Muslims do not welcome dogs for reasons of hygiene, Muslim leaders or experts believe dogs can be touched if they are not wet. There is a similar exception in regard to Muslims eating pork - they are allowed to if they might otherwise die from starvation. If Muslims want to curb security threats in the region, they will have to promote understanding about sniffer dogs.

However, some think arguments against the use of sniffer dogs have more to do with corruption and claims GT200 dealers allegedly offered Bt100,000 "under the table" for the purchase of each GT200. Prices for the device reportedly varied greatly, even though they were sold under the same brand and type. Different agencies paid between Bt400,000 and Bt1.2 million for a machine.

Maybe going back to basics and relying on man's "best friend", instead of reaching for higher technology, is the solution to the poblems we face.