Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat
Jan 13, 2012, 2:15 am
#1
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Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat
Not sure what to make of this...
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/011312e...cymessage.html
EMERGENCY MESSAGE TO U.S. CITIZENS
Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat
January 13, 2012
This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/011312e...cymessage.html
EMERGENCY MESSAGE TO U.S. CITIZENS
Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat
January 13, 2012
This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.
Jan 13, 2012, 6:33 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Thailand has now arrested a Lebanese man in response:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/wo...t.html?_r=1&hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/wo...t.html?_r=1&hp
Jan 13, 2012, 4:56 pm
#3
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Upon hearing about this yesterday a few potential places came to mind including Khao San which has many businesses catering to Israelis (and a Chabad on the road just to the north). But if the goal was to attack American's this wouldn't the best choice.
Gotta love this one from Chalerm:
The remainder of the quote should be something along the lines of '... unless you wear red and your savior is TS.'
Thailand has now arrested a Lebanese man in response:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/wo...t.html?_r=1&hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/wo...t.html?_r=1&hp
Thai officials, however, tried to calm nerves in the capital. “I would like to tell the Thai people and foreigners that you can be free of worries from what the U.S. Embassy has warned because Thai authorities have known about this before New Year’s Day,” said Mr. Chalerm, the deputy prime minister. “Thailand is a polite country. Terrorism can happen anywhere else, but in Thailand? No, we will not allow you to do so.”
Jan 13, 2012, 7:01 pm
#4
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FWIW today (Saturday) is Children's Day here in Thailand so many families with children will be out and about taking advantage of all of the activities and promotions. I think this is why the Thai government is being perhaps overly reassuring?
It sounds like the chatter surfaced on 22 Dec from Israel, and maybe two potential do-badders arrived this week. The primary target sounds like Israelis, with Americans a close second. The expected time-frame was Jan. 13-15. Maybe those two suspects were arrested last night?
The USS Abraham Lincoln is also docked at Laem Chabang so 6,000 sailors in Pattaya.
When al-Bakri was arrested here in 2002 he is rumored to have had a list which included Khao San Road, Nana Entertainment Plaza and the Israeli Embassy.
I stayed home last night, but I'm still planning on watching the Broncos v. Pats at 8 AM tom'w morning, in a large public gathering of Americans.
It sounds like the chatter surfaced on 22 Dec from Israel, and maybe two potential do-badders arrived this week. The primary target sounds like Israelis, with Americans a close second. The expected time-frame was Jan. 13-15. Maybe those two suspects were arrested last night?
The USS Abraham Lincoln is also docked at Laem Chabang so 6,000 sailors in Pattaya.
When al-Bakri was arrested here in 2002 he is rumored to have had a list which included Khao San Road, Nana Entertainment Plaza and the Israeli Embassy.
I stayed home last night, but I'm still planning on watching the Broncos v. Pats at 8 AM tom'w morning, in a large public gathering of Americans.
Jan 13, 2012, 7:04 pm
#5
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This threat sounds highly credible to me. I'd take it seriously.
I've often wondered why we haven't seen more third-party terrorists attacks in Thailand a la the Bali bombings. Lots of Western tourists, easy access in/out of and movement within country, good sized Middle-Eastern community already to serve as sympathetic support base, probably disorganized official Thai response likely to any incidents etc, etc. I ascribe the dearth of terrorist activity so far to just dumb luck.
I've often wondered why we haven't seen more third-party terrorists attacks in Thailand a la the Bali bombings. Lots of Western tourists, easy access in/out of and movement within country, good sized Middle-Eastern community already to serve as sympathetic support base, probably disorganized official Thai response likely to any incidents etc, etc. I ascribe the dearth of terrorist activity so far to just dumb luck.
Jan 14, 2012, 3:57 am
#6
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This threat sounds highly credible to me. I'd take it seriously.
I've often wondered why we haven't seen more third-party terrorists attacks in Thailand a la the Bali bombings. Lots of Western tourists, easy access in/out of and movement within country, good sized Middle-Eastern community already to serve as sympathetic support base, probably disorganized official Thai response likely to any incidents etc, etc. I ascribe the dearth of terrorist activity so far to just dumb luck.
I've often wondered why we haven't seen more third-party terrorists attacks in Thailand a la the Bali bombings. Lots of Western tourists, easy access in/out of and movement within country, good sized Middle-Eastern community already to serve as sympathetic support base, probably disorganized official Thai response likely to any incidents etc, etc. I ascribe the dearth of terrorist activity so far to just dumb luck.
Life must go on.
Jan 15, 2012, 8:23 pm
#8
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There will be no luck for me finding the NY Giants game at 4:30AM Monday morning in Chiang Mai.
I agree on both points, but for the former what is one to do? To give in to fear and change your habits creates a life where the threat is enough; where the threat is just as good as the act.
Life must go on.
I agree on both points, but for the former what is one to do? To give in to fear and change your habits creates a life where the threat is enough; where the threat is just as good as the act.
Life must go on.
Jan 15, 2012, 9:53 pm
#9
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I didn't say change ones habits, just that I'd take the threat seriously. I personally wouldn't be heading over to the obvious targets of Khao San Road or Nana Entertainment Plaza, but....wait a minute...I don't normally go to these places anyway. So right, no change in habits needed.
While I do spend time north of Khao San (Samsen Soi 2 area) I haven't been within 300m of the place in years.
I got a kick out of the picture on the front page of the BK Post today: Police searching the backpack of a western tourist on Khao San.
Jan 15, 2012, 11:32 pm
#10
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I didn't say change ones habits, just that I'd take the threat seriously. I personally wouldn't be heading over to the obvious targets of Khao San Road or Nana Entertainment Plaza, but....wait a minute...I don't normally go to these places anyway. So right, no change in habits needed.
This is the first time I ever recall an out-of-the-blue pro-active terror-related warning coming from the U.S. Embassy here. Past Warden Messages have been expected: Yellow Shirts/Airport, Red Shirts, Coup, Floods, etc., so I took this one a bit more seriously.