Nationwide Security Alert For Songkran

[george]

Nationwide security alert for Songkran

BANGKOK: -- Authorities have issued a full security alert in the wake of an explosion in front of a Bangkok mall. Australia warned that more bombings were feared at Songkran this weekend.

Bangkok areas of particular concern were the Khao San Road, a celebrated meeting point for foreign tourists and backpackers, and Sanuam Luang, a large park in the centre of the old part of the city which attracts thousands of Songkran revellers.

The government has ordered extra police in Bangkok for Thai New Year celebrations this weekend to try to prevent a repeat of the New Year's Eve serial blasts that killed three people.

Pol Lt-Gen Adisorn Nonsee said more than 3,000 police officers would patrol the capital, up from the current 1,500, during the five-day Songkran festival which kicks off on Thursday afternoon.

Piyabutr Jiwaramonaikun, chairman of the Association of Khao San Traders, said more than 100 soldiers, policemen and civil volunteers would be on duty in the backpackers' festival area while bomb detectors would also be used as part of the security measures.

Mr Piyabutr expected that more than 10 million baht would be circulated during the four-day event on Khao San Road which should see a daily turnout of 40,000-50,000 Thai and foreign celebrants.

He said revellers would be banned from applying talcum powder on others and each day's festival would end at 7 pm. Water gun is one of the favourite equipments to splash water on others during the festival.

Nobody was hurt in Monday night's explosion in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, but three phone booths were damaged. Police detained, but later released a taxi driver suspected of planting the home-made device.

The Australian embassy in Bangkok issued an advisory to its citizens in late February, saying it had received reports of possible bombs in crowded places such as department stores or public transport in the capital.

The advice, renewed today in an announcement, urged "a high degree of caution because of the high threat of terrorist attack".

"Thai authorities have previously warned of the possibility of further co-ordinated bombings in Thailand to coincide with symbolic dates, including in Bangkok and the southern provinces," the travel advice said.

"They have mentioned the Buddhist festive season of Songkran (around the period April 11-17, 2007) as a particular time of concern. We assess these warnings are credible," it said.

"Further terrorist attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Thailand," it added.

-- Bangkok Post, Agencies 2007-04-10

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[cclub75]

"Further terrorist attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Thailand," it added.

Okay... But who are those terrorists ?

They have no name... No origins.

At one point, we can wonder : do they exist ? Are they ghosts ?

Anyway. They are very convenient : we need emergency decree in Bangkok right now !

[flyx]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

[tropo]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

NO. There's probably more chance of you being caught in an air crash on your way over than being caught by a bomb in Thailand.

[Laulen]

Well, I suppose it is better safe than sorry!

Extra troops and police on the streets are inevitable unfortunately. I just hope that they do their jobs professionally.

I suspect that there will still be a higher death toll from the roads than from anything else that might happen over the Songkran period.

[APACHE3101]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

Don't worry! BKK is not Bagdad. You have most chance to die in NYC or London!

[petedk]

Don't worry! BKK is not Bagdad. You have most chance to die in NYC or London!

Maybe but what's the point if you can't have fun in the evenings. What exactly do they mean by?

He said revellers would be banned from applying talcum powder on others and each day's festival would end at 7 pm. Water gun is one of the favourite equipments to splash water on others during the festival.

Will pubs and restaurants still be open? How will they stop people squirting water at places such as Khao San Road without closing the whole place down?

I remember walking on Sukhumvit Road on New Years Eve. The place was completely dead.

It's a pity that a few people can destroy so much for so many.

[Andiamo]

"Nobody was hurt in Monday night's explosion in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, but three phone booths were damaged. Police detained, but later released a taxi driver suspected of planting the home-made device."

Was this explosion yesterday? First I have heard of it.... I didn't see/hear anything about this..... Was it reported in the press?

[robint]

hi guys

so what ever happened to the new years eve bombers, who were they, no one caught, total blackout

have they conveniently forgotten about it?

is this the way politics is to be decided in the future, by bombers

why are the powers so impotent?

[Lickey]

[pattaya_girl]

i am gonna stay home this songkran - its ridiculous and completely out of hand. it should be to sprinkle a little water onto loved ones faces, but unfortuately it resorts to drunken idiots lobbing buckets of ice and water with powder regardless of driving or not. good luck, you will need it if you venture out.

[MarcHolt]

Nationwide security alert for Songkran

BANGKOK: -- Authorities have issued a full security alert in the wake of an explosion in front of a Bangkok mall. Australia warned that more bombings were feared at Songkran this weekend.

........CUT......

So, we will see squandrons of police patrolling a virtually deserted city. Hasn't anyone thought about this? Everhyone goes home upcountry. Bangkok is a ghost town. What a waste of time, effort and money!!!

Nobody was hurt in Monday night's explosion in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, but three phone booths were damaged. Police detained, but later released a taxi driver suspected of planting the home-made device.

The Australian embassy in Bangkok issued an advisory to its citizens in late February, saying it had received reports of possible bombs in crowded places such as department stores or public transport in the capital.

......

Once again the Aussie embassy issues another fear-inspired advisory. The taxi driver was pissed off that the police gave him a parking ticket. Damage to the phone booth was minimal. A home-made device? What a laugh. He filled a bottle with some petrol and threw it at the booth. Big deal. He was no terrorist. He was a drunken idiot, is all. I live up the road from the Cineplex. I drove past there this morning. The booth was still standing. No real damage.

Fear is a lie

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Go out and have a very happy Songkran. Even the Mozzies will be out there throwing water. Jeez! Enjoy life. Don't cower in fear.

[khunmarc]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

I would be more worry about thai busses then thai bombs !!!!!!

with songkhran going on everuthing that has wheels for vehicules and arms for driver will be on the road!!!!!

scary

[khunmarc]

i am gonna stay home this songkran - its ridiculous and completely out of hand. it should be to sprinkle a little water onto loved ones faces, but unfortuately it resorts to drunken idiots lobbing buckets of ice and water with powder regardless of driving or not. good luck, you will need it if you venture out.

I agree songkran is a bad time really I like Loy krathong better seems more like a real thing not just a bunch of drunks( Thais or farangs) playing infantile water games

But I guess we are to blame for the chaos that songkhran turned out to be... they put up the show for drunken farangs really

[Laulen]

Nationwide security alert for Songkran

Once again the Aussie embassy issues another fear-inspired advisory. The taxi driver was pissed off that the police gave him a parking ticket. Damage to the phone booth was minimal. A home-made device? What a laugh. He filled a bottle with some petrol and threw it at the booth. Big deal. He was no terrorist. He was a drunken idiot, is all. I live up the road from the Cineplex. I drove past there this morning. The booth was still standing. No real damage.

Fear is a lie

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Go out and have a very happy Songkran. Even the Mozzies will be out there throwing water. Jeez! Enjoy life. Don't cower in fear.

Thanks for the update. Great to have someone 'on the ground!'

[neilmc]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

I would be more worry about thai busses then thai bombs !!!!!!

with songkhran going on everuthing that has wheels for vehicules and arms for driver will be on the road!!!!!

scary

I vowed never to return to Thailand during Songkran after my experiences 2 years ago.

Unfortunately I forgot to check the dates when booking a recent flight and I arrive this Friday - the 13th just as the madness begins - ###### - how did that happen !

[Maxwell Book]

It appears the junta will get what it has been asking for: a state of emergency. Ironically, it came with little property damage and no loss of life. Those guys are really clever.

Edited April 10, 2007 by Maxwell Book

[pumi23]

hello,

will this only be in bangkok, or also other places in thailand? i mean this "extreme partying".

i am going to koh samui this weekend (west coast) and i hoped to have a calm quiet stay.

do i need to expect loud crowds there?

thanks

pumi

[PaulUSA302]

I am due to visit in October, but I will be watching the media and if more bombing happen then I will change my plans. Say what you like but I only have one life and body and if there is a chance of me standing near a bomb yet to explode..... Well I don't want to risk it when the risk is greater than it need be.

Here at home I don't go to ATMs at night.

I don't count my money while walking down a dark street.

I don't cross the street against fast moving traffic

I don't vacation in terrorist hot spots.

Lets just hope that Bangkok does not become a terrorist hot spot.

Edited April 10, 2007 by PaulUSA302

[khunmarc]

i am gonna stay home this songkran - its ridiculous and completely out of hand. it should be to sprinkle a little water onto loved ones faces, but unfortuately it resorts to drunken idiots lobbing buckets of ice and water with powder regardless of driving or not. good luck, you will need it if you venture out.

[pascal20160]

Okay, let's look back a little

There were bombs in Bangkok on New Year's Eve (Christian calendar)

There were about 4-5 times more bombs in the South on Chinese New Years

Does it take that much to figure out what 's likely to happen on the Buddhist New Year, and to figure out the culprits? It's just a matter of where and when during this weekend.

[chalvy]

I am due to visit in October, but I will be watching the media and if more bombing happen then I will change my plans. Say what you like but I only have one life and body and if there is a chance of me standing near a bomb yet to explode..... Well I don't want to risk it when the risk is greater than it need be.

Here at home I don't go to ATMs at night.

I don't count my money while walking down a dark street.

I don't cross the street against fast moving traffic

I don't vacation in terrorist hot spots.

Lets just hope that Bangkok does not become a terrorist hot spot.

You really don't have much worry about. Sounds like the place you live is worse than Bangkok. The thing about terrorists is that they strike at random and everywhere.

How do you define "terrorism hotspot" Madrid? London? New York? Bali?

I agree with most posters here in that the real killer will be the roads. When you are doing 170km/hr on the way to/from the airport with a taxi driver who just got his licence you'll know what I mean!!

[nikster]

hello,

will this only be in bangkok, or also other places in thailand? i mean this "extreme partying".

i am going to koh samui this weekend (west coast) and i hoped to have a calm quiet stay.

do i need to expect loud crowds there?

thanks

pumi

should be fine there. i was on koh chang last year - got splashed with water while riding motorbike one day and some kids painted my face and if you really don't want to get wet you can indicate that to the Thais and they will leave you alone - disappointed faces, but still it's a nice tradition. which doesn't usually involve ice water, or painted water.

it only gets unpleasant when drunken farangs are involved... avoid chaweng those days and you should be fine.

[DirkGently]

I agree farangs are the worst and most over the top water throwers.

As for bombs, well i just don't know. Whlst it is true that Muslims are at the fore front of the finger pointing list when it comes to the 1st January bombs. Let's not forget that is their formost method of communication.

I would not fancy being around the most popular tourist sites. Just a couple of miffed Muslims could prove a disaster.

While we don't like to see the truth, the truth points at Islam and it's adherants for these bombs. The present gov can't find muslims guilty as it would point to their failings in the south, as they try and control muslim terrorists.

[george]

Tightened security for Khao San during Songkran festival

BANGKOK: -- Security will be boosted on Khao San Road, Bangkok's well-known backpacker street, to ensure safety for water-splashing celebrants during the upcoming Thai traditional New Year or Songkran festival, a business leader said Tuesday.

Mr Piyabutr Jiwaramonaikun, chairman of the Association of Khao San Traders, said more than 100 soldiers, policemen and civil volunteers would be on duty in the festival area while bomb detectors would also be used as part of the security measures.

The festival will be held on Khao San Road on April 12-15.

Mr.Piyabutr expected that more than 10 million baht would be circulated during the four-day event on Khao San Road which should see a daily turnout of 40,000-50,000 Thai and foreign celebrants.

He said revellers would be banned from applying talcum powder on others and each day's festival would end at 7 pm. Water gun is one of the favourite equipments to splash water on others during the festival.

Mr.Piyabutr was optimistic that the bomb explosion in front of Major Ratchayothin cinema complex on Monday night would not affect the Songkran festival on Khao San.

Khao San, located in central Bangkok, is a backpacker ghetto offering relatively cheap accommodation.

--TNA 2007-04-10

[TIPSYBOB]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

I would be more worry about thai busses then thai bombs !!!!!!

with songkhran going on everuthing that has wheels for vehicules and arms for driver will be on the road!!!!!

scary

I vowed never to return to Thailand during Songkran after my experiences 2 years ago.

Unfortunately I forgot to check the dates when booking a recent flight and I arrive this Friday - the 13th just as the madness begins - ###### - how did that happen !

I do not know your orientation, but would like to pass on on an unconfirmed rumor. I was told tonight by my bf (who has a friend working there) that Silom Soi 4, a famous Gay Soi, might be closed for Songkran by the owners of the Soi in view of the recent threaths.

He mentionned that this family was from the Muslim faith.

[pumi23]

thanks nikster, im happy to hear that.

i dont want to get involved in any of these extreme celebrations, i just need a time off of the busy life in hong kong.

thanks

pumi

[godman]

I wanted travel to thailand next week , I cancel it ?

hi buddy/i have been living in thailand bangkok for the past uninterupted 33 years so my advice to you is come and enjoy the songkran festival no problems for sure confirmed.

[draggons]

170kph in a taxi where the driver just got his licence? what licence????

[chatette]

The police spokesman said the `bomb' was more like a fire cracker and even the deputy police chief, who said it was a bomb, said it was `low pressure.' I really played the thing down today because the reporting read to me like it was some Songkran revelry. Altho they clearly didn't communicate on what type of device caused the explosion, both the police spokesman and the deputy police chief said they did not believe it was linked to the NYE blasts, with the latter pointing the difference in device. While there's certainly real terrorist threats lurking -- as they are are everywhere in the world, what I heard and read of last night's blast did not sound like it came from there.