US Embassy Bangkok - Warden Message - 12/29/2008

[astral]

Title amended.

The UK embassy ALSO operates a Warden System.

Please be more specific in your title next time.

Thank you

[Loaded]

In summary: Americans need to be told there have been political disturbances recently in Thailand. The rest of the world seems to be able to read newspapers.

Interesting point made that this warning invalidates most people's travel insurance policies. Government doesn't help it just takes, or prevents the individual from taking, and then gives it all to the banking industry anyway.

[Fore Man]

The U.S. State Department's travel warning is an adjunct to a far more detailed set of information known as the Consular Information Sheet. Travelers to Thailand generally are savvy enough to look it up before leaving the USA. The CIS for Thailand lays out all the useful details that a one-time travel warning does not. Check it out, and please quit all the bellyaching and barstool philosophizing of these periodic advisories...they serve a purpose.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1040.html

Don't TV members have something better to do with their time? Some members see one isolated press release and forget that there is a ton of other sources available that expand the level of detail.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

So how many Americans were bombed in Bangkok this New Year? Or did they all listen to this sage advice and avoid the Traditional New Year 'bomb the American' festival?

I'm not gonna bash the US but I think that if you compare it to the UK (or maybe some other European places), there is a big difference. The US is not generally (tho' with some petty enormous and tragic exceptions) used to its citizens being bombed on their own soil. The Brits are- the IRA did it for years when I was working in London (and not just in London either). I remember my English MIL phoning us before when there were bombings in BKK saying 'oh you must come home'- we were like 'are you for real?'

So this makes them worried about this sort of thing.

Alternatively you may consider this to be just another part of the 'be very afraid' message that Western governments have been flogging for the last 10 years or so.

....thought you were going to go on about the big conspiracy theory then slip, whats going on, haven't you noticed the litigation thing going on these days in western society these days? Ones governement must assume that everyone in their country is even more stupid than the countries leader, that won't bring any joy to dingdongrb.... (sorry bloke thats another cheap shot & now i await to be slapped down - AGAIN)

Anyway, build a bridge and get over it. Soon you won't have to worry about ur MIL on the telephone because it will be too expensive for the pomes to use telephone....with the value of the pound and all that

Anyway, im going to get back into my box, I suggest you do the same

What? Me worry???

[aromsia]

I think it is a perfectly reasonable reminder. I agree it should also mention the carnage on the roads - and to use extreme caution when driving during the New Year long weekend.

What I did raise an eyebrow over was the reference to the 'dynamic' political climate. Interesting. I wonder what they're expecting..

[BigSnake]

This is a Warning all should heed. Wish for the safety and happiness of all.

[londonthai]

What I did raise an eyebrow over was the reference to the 'dynamic' political climate. Interesting. I wonder what they're expecting..

there were demos just before new year and expected to continue in new year. There might be army on the streets sometimes later on - not only DoS knows it

[adjan jb]

(Did your home country provide you with a warning? Hmmmmm)

Mine didn't. Does it mean they don't care about me?

[aromsia]

What I did raise an eyebrow over was the reference to the 'dynamic' political climate. Interesting. I wonder what they're expecting..

there were demos just before new year and expected to continue in new year. There might be army on the streets sometimes later on - not only DoS knows it

Yes, I know. But I thought all the rhetoric (maybe wishful propoganda) in the newspapers points toward an angry but resigned population that has decided it must now accept the will of the military/bureaucractic backed minority and just move on.

We'll see I guess.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

All I can say is that I'm a helluva lot safer in Thailand than I am in the U.S. The Santa Claus shooting (10 killed) occurred 10 miles from my last home in L.A. That week, there were 3 murders within 1 block of the office in L.A. that I last worked. BTW - the fire started by fireworks in that Rhode Island club with Great White 3 years ago, killed over 100 people.

It is amazing that some members of the Bush administration had the nerve to criticize Thailand's enforcement of its safety laws. It's not that I'm going to believe anything issued under the authority of Condi and "W" anyway.

[usatrader]

There is, I am sure NOT unnoticed, a curious perversion in rationale and particularly deductive logic among most malcontents, whiners and especially these ever present blame some else types, they, as we often seen here in TV land, spew the same troll mongering whines and blame equally on both sides of any topical equation:

((Wrong /If they don’t do X) + blame +fault) = ((Wrong/ If they do X) +blame +fault)

[southerndog]

Thing is about the bombs last year.. In my opinion, they saved lives. How many people die in Bangkok each new years? How many died that year?

[aromsia]

Nope - in my view is was a couched atempt to point out the whole thai political scene could go pear-shaped and get rough. The rest was window dressing.

Personally, I don't see it going violent - but who knows. That's why I said perhaps they 'know' something we don't..