Australia Warns Of Attacks In Thailand

[distortedlink]

Been here on and off for over 20 years. So far my family and I have survived, the possible blowing up of aircraft by terrorists, sars, bird flu, tidal waves, earthquakes and now the bombing of tourist destinations.

Amazing, how did we do it? and still here to tell the tale.

The most serious destruction danger to Thailand is the destruction of its tourist industry from stupid over the top reports, such as this one from australia.

australia has some of the worst reputations for human rights abuse in history. The treatment of the native Australias, the reluctance in the past to trade or have anything to do with it’s Asian neighbours because of race, and it was the race factor that decided what second world war refugees were going to be allowed to settle in australia during the 1940s & 1950s. Asians, Italians & Jews were not admitted into the country.

Therefore, according to australia`s past records on it’s relationship with Asia, it comes as no surprise that australia is again trying to segregate themselves from the Asian communities.

[cdnvic]

LOL more hating at english teachers... why dont you ask yourselves some questions like how are thai people gonna compete in the business world if they dont understand english and can not communicate with western person at a high and intellectually stimulating level -, lol. English teacher do the job with a low salary because we love thailand and thai people. that is something you people on TV who hate farang teacher will never understand. you are just hear for your own selfish deeds.

Nobody's hating English teachers. In fact, a look in the teaching forum shows that English teachers don't think much of your uninformed know-it-all attitude, and your lecherous comments regarding students in your care. In fact, considering the problem a few high profile perverts have given foreign teachers here, they have reasons to worry about another braggart who openly covets the flesh of his students.

Your claims to be an expert on Thailand after three months here just makes you look silly, and everyone likes a good laugh, but the way you talk about your female (I'm assuming) students is actually kind of scary.

Edited March 10, 2007 by cdnvic

[Beachbunny]

Where did they get these reports from? Who issued these reports? If they have been "receiving" reports like these for quite a while, and they were credible, then why didn't anything ever happen in Pattaya or Phuket? EVER!!

That's because the two bombs that were planted in Pattaya, during the same time the bombs went off in BKK, were found before they exploded. So it's not a matter of if it will/can happen, but when. (and before you ask, yes it was on the thai news AND we did get a personal warning from high up the food chain to stay away from certain areas until things settled down.)

Beachbunny

[oldgit]

Where did they get these reports from? Who issued these reports? If they have been "receiving" reports like these for quite a while, and they were credible, then why didn't anything ever happen in Pattaya or Phuket? EVER!!

That's because the two bombs that were planted in Pattaya, during the same time the bombs went off in BKK, were found before they exploded. So it's not a matter of if it will/can happen, but when. (and before you ask, yes it was on the thai news AND we did get a personal warning from high up the food chain to stay away from certain areas until things settled down.)

Beachbunny

The insurgents havent 'graduated' to the suicide bomber stage yet so,until that happens,it can be argued that the tourist islands of Phuket and Samui are relatively safe places to be,escape only being possible by sea and air.

[Maejo Man]

The insurgents havent 'graduated' to the suicide bomber stage yet so,until that happens,it can be argued that the tourist islands of Phuket and Samui are relatively safe places to be,escape only being possible by sea and air.

Strange that! Did I drive on water when I left Phuket the other day?

[Boon Mee]

Where did they get these reports from? Who issued these reports? If they have been "receiving" reports like these for quite a while, and they were credible, then why didn't anything ever happen in Pattaya or Phuket? EVER!!

That's because the two bombs that were planted in Pattaya, during the same time the bombs went off in BKK, were found before they exploded. So it's not a matter of if it will/can happen, but when. (and before you ask, yes it was on the thai news AND we did get a personal warning from high up the food chain to stay away from certain areas until things settled down.)

Beachbunny

Right on BB but it's still those Americans and Israelis that are the biggest threat to world peace, according to the BBC.

[Gravelrash]

Been here on and off for over 20 years. So far my family and I have survived, the possible blowing up of aircraft by terrorists, sars, bird flu, tidal waves, earthquakes and now the bombing of tourist destinations.

Amazing, how did we do it? and still here to tell the tale.

The most serious destruction danger to Thailand is the destruction of its tourist industry from stupid over the top reports, such as this one from australia.

australia has some of the worst reputations for human rights abuse in history. The treatment of the native Australias, the reluctance in the past to trade or have anything to do with it's Asian neighbours because of race, and it was the race factor that decided what second world war refugees were going to be allowed to settle in australia during the 1940s & 1950s. Asians, Italians & Jews were not admitted into the country.

Therefore, according to australia`s past records on it's relationship with Asia, it comes as no surprise that australia is again trying to segregate themselves from the Asian communities.

Here we go, I note that you are from Britain. Very enlightening commentary. The treatment of native Australians was disgraceful and we acknowledge that. But, hang on, wasn't Australia a British colony, so what was the nationality of those committing such...err British?

I think you may find that the White Australia Policy was abolished long ago, and that we do in fact have quite good relations with our Asian neighbours, including defence agreements and immigration.

So an Australian government travel warning is going to destroy Thai tourism? Hmm, these forums really bring 'em out of the woodwork. There were no bombs in Bangkok, there isn't an insurgency in the south? The Bali bombings as was already pointed out have made the governmnet very cautious about not issuing warnings. They are an advisory purely for Australian citizens (not you), the governement perhaps being over cautious, we can follow or ignore.

I think you need to drink less and get out more, perhaps GIngko Balboa could be helpful.

[david96]

Use your own judgement of the security assesment. Warnings are very much for political purposes and note that politicians ignore those warnings because they do not apply to them. The Australian Government and the Media made a killing at Bali and the western media give free advertising to terrorists and make a lot of money at the same time.

A good story to sell is far better than telling the truth.

It might be well to check your travel insurance policy to see if you are covered fot terrorist attacks and most importantly make sure your will is up to date before you travel, makes things a lot easier in the long run.

[Greenman]

Guess they are just playing it safe. Some OZ wizards has decided....."Don't say we didn't warn you".....Then if some poor tourist becomes a victim they cant go back and say they weren't warned.

If they are that well informed why don't they expose their source and have those involved arrested....lorra lorra guess work going on if you ask me.....which you didn't

[dezeure]

whatever you do. Keep smiling in the land of smiles... :D

[joskydive]

Don't know if this is off the topic or not but just heard the thai news that an aeroplane has just crashed in Australia. Don't know where, don't know why. 180 people died and they are now in the process of trying to find the black box.

[cdnvic]

Don't know if this is off the topic or not but just heard the thai news that an aeroplane has just crashed in Australia. Don't know where, don't know why. 180 people died and they are now in the process of trying to find the black box.

Not a word of this on Ninemsn, ABC, or on Aus radio so I think you got the wrong info. (Thankfully)

[joskydive]

Don't know if this is off the topic or not but just heard the thai news that an aeroplane has just crashed in Australia. Don't know where, don't know why. 180 people died and they are now in the process of trying to find the black box.

Not a word of this on Ninemsn, ABC, or on Aus radio so I think you got the wrong info. (Thankfully)

It was on the Nation News last night at 9.30pm and it showed the crash sight too, unfortunately, I don't speak Thai very well but my husband translated it for me.

[cdnvic]

Probably a mis-translation because the only stories about crashes in the Australian news is the one about the Garuda crash in Indonesia last week.

[joskydive]

Probably a mis-translation because the only stories about crashes in the Australian news is the one about the Garuda crash in Indonesia last week.

Hope so. This sort of thing turns my blood cold wherever it happens.

[lambada]

also, their are several different factors when talking about the thai peopulations, for instance, many farang overlook that there are many different regions of thailand that speak different dialectic languages than bangkok. so traveling is another advantage to learning about thais. teaching english is probably the best way, and i am taking advantage of that right now. Thank you.

As far as I know the only dialectic language was that referred to by Hegal!

Also I think you will find that the Soviet Union also had more that a little to do with the defeat of Germany - not that I am denigrating the US involvement or the battle of Britain.

Some books that might be of interest to an expert like yourself:

Sex Slaves - The trafficking of women in Asia by Louise Brown

Sex and Borders - Gender, National Identity, and Prostitution Policy in Thailand by Leslie Ann Jeffrey

Debatable Land - Stories from Southeast Asia by Michael Vatifiotis

A land on fire - The environmental consequences of the Southeast Asian Boom by James David Fahn

Democratic Transitions in Asia by Sam Rainsy

Laos - Culture and Society by Grant Evans

The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs

Corruption & Democracy in Thailand by Pasuk Phongpaichit & Sungsidh Piriyarangsan

Radicalising Thailand - New political perspectives Edited by Ji Giles Ungpakorn.

And of course

Pira Sudham's books on Esarn (Isan, Isaan - Particularly for a Esarn view on anti Esarn/loas sentiment in native Thais.)

Tales of Thailand

People of Esarn

Monsoon Country

The Force of Karma.

Of course you could learn to read and write Thai which would open up a whole new paradigm

Edited March 12, 2007 by lambada

[Barryz]

You've got to exercise a bit of common sense here. Of course the Australian government are issuing more frequent warnings as a result of the Bali bombing, and of course they are covering their backside in case there's another tragedy like the Bali bombing.

However, life has never been free of risk. Not all of us wish to live in a 'nanny' state. Look at other reports and assess the situation for yourself. Southern Thailand, close to the Muslim Malaysian border, seems to be at greatest risk. Places like Koh Samui and Phuket, further north, might be in the line of an expanded Muslim (fundamentalist) aggression.

But places north of Bangkok? The risk of a bomb attack must surely be significantly lower. Even in Bangkok, the individual risk is very low, considering the huge population.