Thai News Agency...

PM warns to prepare for new security threats

BANGKOK: -- Speaking to the National Legislation Assembly on Thursday in the wake of the New Year's Eve bombings, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont warned the kingdom to prepare for more possible similar incidents.

Referring to the "life-threatening events" which took place at the opening of the new year, Gen. Surayud said "I would like to ask everyone in the country to prepare for life-threatening events like this for a while."

Gen. Surayud reaffirmed that the incidents were unrelated to the ongoing insurgency in the southernmost border provinces.

The prime minister said earlier that politicians who had lost privileges and benefits were behind the bomb attacks and the incidents were not connected to the southern violence.

As the government works to build a unified society and to conduct a fair general election, it seeks cooperation from every sector of the public in bringing peace to society and to prevent such incidents from occurring again, Gen. Surayud said.

The prime minister said that intelligence officials believe the Sunday bombings were aimed at creating panic among the public, as well as causing death and damage to property.

"While the incidents may look similar to those in the deep South," Gen. Surayud said, "close investigation of the explosives used and timing mechanisms for the bombs shows no relationship to explosive devices so far used in the South."

"Most of the incidents were caused by ill-intentioned people and those who wanted to create unrest in Bangkok," he reiterated.

Gen. Surayud added that investigators have received information as well as photographs from eyewitnesses at Sunday's scenes.

--TNA 2007-01-04

Sorry, I didn't see that flyr16 posted a similar item.