Recent Bombings in Thailand - is it safe for us to go next week?
 

Here is one link to the news story:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37063637


We are staying at the Marriott Phuket Beach Club for one week from Aug 21, 2016. We were considering staying for 2 more days in Bangkok after that?


is is safe for us to go, or should we consider cancelling the trip?

It's safe.

Statistically speaking you're more likely to be killed by an elephant.

The Military Dictatorship, and all the slave labor in the tourist sectors need your currency so please do not consider cancelling your trip.

As others have said, statistically, you're more likely to drown in your bathtub, or die from tripping over your pet.

The issue isn't so much objective safety. Terrorism poses a minimal risk. The question is, will you enjoy your vacation? It is something to discuss with your family, and there's no shame in saying no, we're not really comfortable doing this.

I was in Hua Hin for a week, until the day before the bombings, and then in Bangkok during the queen's birthday (when more bombs exploded in Phuket etc). I didn't change my plans, wandered about as usual, and didn't feel particularly unsafe. On the holiday, Bangkok was as crowded as ever, and if you hadn't followed the news, you wouldn't know that anything was amiss.

In contrast, I was in Munich a few weeks ago, when that shooter caused what we now know was a massive overreaction. Cops everywhere; TV, radio, cell phone messages announcing a major terrorist attack, urging people to stay home, keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles. Transportation, stores, restaurants shut down. There was a sense of menace, a city under siege, and even though Munich is my home town, it was a bit scary. I imagine it would not have been fun for tourists.

Now, would I tell people to avoid Munich, or Paris, or Bangkok? Not at all. The actual risk of injury or death is minimal. Even the risk of being inconvenienced is minimal. But it is a vacation ... you are supposed to have fun. So make sure to do something that's within your comfort zone.

ill be there sept 11 to 18

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They found another unexploded bomb at Paradise Plaza night market on Rat-uthit 200 Pi Rd in Patong.
I'm going to Phuket in less than two months, but I'll be staying in my favorite part of the island, Nai Yang beach :)

I've lost track of the unexploded bombs found so far, at least five but that might be just the recent figure and not those found shortly after the thirteen (13) blasts, and four (4) fires. I guess the fires may have been started by misfiring bombs?

I assume there could be more out there, hard to know where to look exactly?

‘One mastermind, two teams’

Police say 10-20 people involved in bomb and arson attacks that hit seven provinces.

The bomb and arson attacks in seven provinces last Thursday and Friday were all connected and carried out by a single mastermind, Thai police said yesterday.

Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said that authorities were putting together the jigsaw to identify the network behind the attacks that hit Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, plus six southern provinces, including Phuket. He spoke after a teleconference with regional chiefs in affected provinces.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nati...-30292940.html

Prefacing this with the obvious: in a dictatorship there is no reliable free press so no mainstream outlets cover anything other than what the Junta spews out ("poll says 99.3% of the people are happy").

If the press say anything which can be remotely viewed as negative, and this extends to covering let's say "flooding in the north" too much, they will be subject to imprisonment. The Junta wants only positive stories which "return happiness to the people".

So, with that said, rumors spread pretty quickly and there is absolutely no way to verify some/all of the things one hears. And whoever perpetrated the 11/12 August bombs would obviously be interested in sowing fear even if they had no more bombs left. But there are whispers of a continuing and expanding effort, so I might recommend additional caution when out and about. Although that sounds lame as one never seems to know where a bomb might go off. It seems like most of these bombs do go off after dark, if that's any help.

Updated Warden Message

I have to admit, even by Thai 'standards', the "investigation" is beyond surreal.


The surreal investigations into Thailand's unresolved bombings

If the investigation of last week's multiple bomb attacks in southern Thailand follows the pattern of that into the bombing of the Erawan Shine in Bangkok exactly a year ago, we are in for a surreal ride.

What we may not see is any convincing explanation for what happened.
Like the spate of small bombs last week, the attack in Bangkok on 17 August last year was something new. Never before had such a large, deadly device been detonated at a symbolically-powerful location popular with foreign tourists. Twenty people died, and more than 120 were injured.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37091825



Top police investigator scolds officers, suggests military arrested wrong guy

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT — Confident assertions a Chiang Mai native in military custody was behind one of the Mother’s Day attacks unraveled Tuesday with the top police investigator backing off from the claim after traveling to the scene to review the case.

During a briefing on the case, deputy police chief Sriwarah Rangsipramkul became furious when he learned how the local police force went about arresting 32-year-old Sakarin Karuehat, scolding them for shoddy police work, an officer present told a Matichon reporter, hinting at a disconnect between police and military authorities.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politi...ted-wrong-guy/

I bet the people in charge just love Jonathan Head.

Leaving tomorrow for Bangkok. Not changing any plans!

BTW to the OP, we have spent the last three New Years Eve vacations (5-7 days) at the Phuket Beach Club and LOVE the place!!!!! Enjoy it!!!

is it easy to get to and from patong from the beach club? the prices are so cheap for 2 bed rooms but we still want to be able to experience night life.

Your question is not related to the topic of the thread. On top of that, your question is not very clear. You'd do good at ask exactly what you want to know in a new thread.

Sort of back on topic, although not in an areas frequented by western tourists, but frequented by tourists from Malaysia...



Two bombs explode in Thai coastal town of Pattani

One Thai person was killed and 30 wounded when two bombs exploded late on Tuesday near a hotel in the southern Thai town of Pattani, police said, less than two weeks after a series of blasts hit the south.

The first blast in a parking lot behind the Southern Hotel caused no casualties, Police Lieutenant Colonel Winyu Tiamraj told Reuters on Wednesday. All the casualties were Thais.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ort-of-pattani