Blast At Major Ratchayothin

[John K]

I'm very interested in commenting here....but afraid my temper may cause me to express an opinion not approved for viewing.

I'll be going to cool off in the swimming pool forum now.

I overlook many of the one line flames here aimed at me as just a short burst of focused energy like a knee jerk reaction without looking at the bigger picture. So in typical ways of Thailand I will simply say Mi pen ri.

So back on to bombs a politics shall we.

[Jai Dee]

I'm very interested in commenting here....but afraid my temper may cause me to express an opinion not approved for viewing.

I'll be going to cool off in the swimming pool forum now.

I overlook many of the one line flames here aimed at me as just a short burst of focused energy like a knee jerk reaction without looking at the bigger picture. So in typical ways of Thailand I will simply say Mi pen ri.

So back on to bombs a politics shall we.

John, I strongly suggest you don't add fuel to the flames.

Your comment that started them was a borderline breach of Forum Rules anyway... "extremely negative views of Thailand will not be tolerated".

If I were khon Thai I would be offended for sure.

Now, can we please forget this little diversion and get back on topic?

[John K]

Point taken, no negative view deliberately intended.

[Maxi101]

To me the message sounds like a "Hello we are still here and can do what we did" - so at least I believe it might come from the same group of people.

Speculation over speculation and I think everybody her has a point ... somehow.

After I read through many posts I came to the result that the opinions are here uhmmmm somewhat on the pessimistic side ... maybe to pessimistic.

be good to eachother folks!

[blaze]

OTH, military strengthening its grip on power is counterporductive - they'll quickly loose people's support, and that support is the only thing they have, so it works in Thaksin's interests.

The support for the government is waning. The PAD has been quite vocal about its preference for a new PM, someone who would be more--decisive. And the Youtube affair, might suggest to some in authority that the population would accept a more hardline government.

From the military's perspective, the lack of large scale demonstrations against the coup could be read as an acquiescent public- one that wouldn't object to their assuming a greater role in the running of the country and appointing a new harder line, overtly pro-CNS PM- should the need arise- due, say, to health reasons.

But of course this is all pure speculation.

There was a precedent already - govt's popularity plunged after New Years bombings.

There will always be hardliners who'd support it no matter what but their numbers are usually small enough to be ignored in the face of massive disaproval from common citizens, and it's them that Thaksin might be after. Masses might not be ready to accept him yet, but driving the wedge between the people and the junta is the first, and absolutely necessary, step.

and.... actually, PAD has stated they are willing to give the PM more time:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=117997

Are you suggesting the leaders of the PAD would oppose the appointment, by the military, of a more 'decisive'- more virulently anti-Thaksin/TRT Prime Minister?

[hammered]

First Army Region Commander says Emergency Decree is not needed after explosion in Major Cineplex

The First Army Region Commander, Lt. Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, says it is not necessary for the Emergency Decree to be enforced in Bangkok following the bomb blast in a public telephone in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin last night (Apr 9).

Lt. Gen. Prayuth says army and police officials are able to take the situation under control, and he believes the explosion was triggered to only create disorder since the bomb had low intensity. However, he says he will have to wait for more results from the investigation before identifying the person behind the blast.

Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Phaholyothin Police, Pol. Maj. Gen. Somsak Wimanrat, says police are unable to identify the type of bomb yet, but it is likely to be a big firecracker since the blast did not cause many damages.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 10 April 2007

Did anyone else notice this comment from the local police. I'm sure all currently embarking in another its Thaksin vs its the Junta tirade will be well disappointed if it turns out to only be a firecracker.

Enjoy Songkhran

[WAERTH]

Look at what the police say .... probably a big firecracker.

During New Years celebrations in the Netherlands I have seen teenagers experiment and cause more damage to public goods (the yearly blowing up of my villages only public phone booth springs to mind).

This kind of damage that you see can be easily accomplished by taking the powder out of few firecrackers and put it in something else (plastic bottle was mentioned). Or combining a set of firecrackers.

Even the Bamboocannons (bamboopipes filled with firecrackers or the powder combined with alcohol or gasoline) I witnessed in Surinam would cause more damage than this! This is only glasssplinters.

No in my opinion this is a prank by a couple of kids (somchai's) to impress their Tilac's. Like a previous poster said pranks on this level happen all the time in Europe.

Waerth

[aussiestyle1983]

Luckily no one was using the phone at the time

[dogleg]

Gimme a break, this was just a prank by teenagers.

This stuff happens back home all the time.

Can you verify this? and once again where is your home exactly?

Could be back home ... in Liverpool!

Nah. I think they would get more than one in before the plod (BIB) turned up!

[sriracha john]

OTH, military strengthening its grip on power is counterporductive - they'll quickly loose people's support, and that support is the only thing they have, so it works in Thaksin's interests.

The support for the government is waning. The PAD has been quite vocal about its preference for a new PM, someone who would be more--decisive. And the Youtube affair, might suggest to some in authority that the population would accept a more hardline government.

From the military's perspective, the lack of large scale demonstrations against the coup could be read as an acquiescent public- one that wouldn't object to their assuming a greater role in the running of the country and appointing a new harder line, overtly pro-CNS PM- should the need arise- due, say, to health reasons.

But of course this is all pure speculation.

There was a precedent already - govt's popularity plunged after New Years bombings.

There will always be hardliners who'd support it no matter what but their numbers are usually small enough to be ignored in the face of massive disaproval from common citizens, and it's them that Thaksin might be after. Masses might not be ready to accept him yet, but driving the wedge between the people and the junta is the first, and absolutely necessary, step.

and.... actually, PAD has stated they are willing to give the PM more time:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=117997

Are you suggesting the leaders of the PAD would oppose the appointment, by the military, of a more 'decisive'- more virulently anti-Thaksin/TRT Prime Minister?

No, just suggesting that PAD is holding off, for now anyway, from being:

quite vocal about its preference for a new PM

[sriracha john]

Photo of bomber released by police

Police yesterday released a photo of a man they said planted a bomb in a telephone booth in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin in Bangkok's Bang Khen district late on Monday night.

The suspect appears to be a Thai man between 25-30 years of age, 165 to 170 cm tall, with a compact build and dark complexion.

He was seen chatting on his mobile phone in the booth and the last person in it before the explosion around 11pm on Monday night.

Pol Lt General Jongrak Jutha-nont, a senior investigator handling the case, called on the man to turn himself in to police.

But police were not ready yet to seek an arrest warrant, he said.

Asked whether police had any idea which region the man was from - after initial suggestions the suspected bomber could be from the South and may have carried out the attack for Muslim separatists, Jongrak said: "There are numerous people roaming Bangkok's streets each day, we cannot tell that."

The movie theatre complex near Ratchayothin Intersection has seen two bomb attacks since the coup on September 19 last year.

The first was on New Year's Eve, when eight other bombs were set off elsewhere. On that night, a bomb was planted in a McDonald's restaurant inside the complex.

The bomb used on Monday night had no shrapnel and only caused a loud explosion, unlike the one planted in the McDonald's outlet on December 31.

Quoting police ordnance experts, Jongrak said the bomb was similar to the ones planted a few months ago at the Democrat Party headquarters and the Si Sao Thewes residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

"But final confirmation whether they were made by the same people is not available yet," he said.

Council for National Security (CNS) chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said there was "nothing worrying" about the bomb at the Major Cineplex Ratchayothin complex, as it was a non-lethal type, generally known as a "giant firework".

He dismissed a police Special Branch conclusion that the bomb was a warning sign of more politically-motivated violence, saying such a negative comment would only worsen the situation in the country.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Jarungwat said an Australian government's travel advisory to its citizens working and living in Bangkok was not regarded as an overreaction to the bomb on Monday, although it had caused some adverse affects for Thailand.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Thai Rath newspaper

[mumbu]

It is absolutely clear for me that this is another attack of Muslim terrorists from the South. One should be a total idiot to suggest that any Thai buddist is capable of doing this. One should be an absolute idiot without any understanding of Thai mentality to suggest that Thaksin (or even junta) behind these new blasts. I am afraid that the "Chechenization"

of Thai conflict is on the way..

I am afraid much more to come...

[ercorn]

Have you ever noticed how many phone booths there are in Bangkok every 50 meters there is a group of ten together.............I think the Thai`s should get rid of a few anyway

[Scott]

A real problem here is on enforcement and carry-through with things. They have upped the number of police on duty etc., so the bombers will lay low for a while, but in a week or so, everything will be back to normal and then they can plan another attack.

It's like the security at one of the malls I was at. I was there for about 4 hours yesterday. They were busy checking bags when I arrived and looking quite alert and with the program. As I was leaving, it was about meal time and all the guards disappeared and no one was checking bags. They had also ceased checking incoming vehicles. Security is of little value unless it is really consistent.

Really well trained perpetrators can watch for a long time and find wholes in the security, but this takes careful planning and time. Unfortunately, here, even the average thief can figure out when to make their move!

[hammered]

It is absolutely clear for me that this is another attack of Muslim terrorists from the South. One should be a total idiot to suggest that any Thai buddist is capable of doing this. One should be an absolute idiot without any understanding of Thai mentality to suggest that Thaksin (or even junta) behind these new blasts. I am afraid that the "Chechenization"

of Thai conflict is on the way..

I am afraid much more to come...

Could I just ask on what you base this obvious conclusion? Considering forensics suggest the bomb to be the same as those used against the Dem party and Gen. Prem at important politcal junctures in the recent past wouldnt it be more likely that the bomb was of a politcal nature? I look forward to hearing your in depth analysis that leads to the conclusion that the phone booths were undeniably bombed by Muslim separatists as I cannot see this myself.

Peace.

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

I could be pranksters. Young thugs who want a laff.

If anyone wants to learn about pyrotechnics, ask Greg (its showtime) Lange of Sunbelt, who for several years in the 1990s participated in the 'Rainrockets of Isaan' festival.

Its not hard to build something that goes 'BANG'

[John K]

It is absolutely clear for me that this is another attack of Muslim terrorists from the South. One should be a total idiot to suggest that any Thai buddist is capable of doing this. One should be an absolute idiot without any understanding of Thai mentality to suggest that Thaksin (or even junta) behind these new blasts. I am afraid that the "Chechenization"

of Thai conflict is on the way..

I am afraid much more to come...

I have to disagree with you. Why would they set off a bomb when nobody is around? Are they terrorists or are they making a political statement? Answer that and you will know what direction to look.

[reddove]

Many of the youths who work inside at McDonalds and at Starbucks told me that the person who planted the device shortly before 12:00 a.m. looked like an older gentleman. They said he looked to much like someone who belonged in the Military.

[Sing_Sling]

Many of the youths who work inside at McDonalds and at Starbucks told me that the person who planted the device shortly before 12:00 a.m. looked like an older gentleman. They said he looked to much like someone who belonged in the Military.

Ah, Mumbu - - - don't be deceived by this fiendish plot to disguise those rabid Muslim terrorists as normal human beings . . .

I'm sure you are correct in your assertion that Buddhists could and would never stoop to the depths of harming people. . .

Side question:

What's the equivalent of an anti-Semite when referring to being anti-Muslim?

[reddove]

Many of the youths who work inside at McDonalds and at Starbucks told me that the person who planted the device shortly before 12:00 a.m. looked like an older gentleman. They said he looked to much like someone who belonged in the Military.

Ah, Mumbu - - - don't be deceived by this fiendish plot to disguise those rabid Muslim terrorists as normal human beings . . .

Really ...?

I'm sure you are correct in your assertion that Buddhists could and would never stoop to the depths of harming people. . .

Really?

Side question:

What's the equivalent of an anti-Semite when referring to being anti-Muslim?

Really

[Sing_Sling]

Reddove, you are clearly a cunning linguist and a welcome addition to this site.

Welcome.

Really!

[TAWP]

Being Islamophobic and being anti-Islamofascism is not the same thing.

Small, important, note.

This bombing however might have been thugs/kids thou, who knows. Even the nicest of us have done stupid things as youngsters.

Edited April 13, 2007 by TAWP