Bomb Attack In Bangkok Hit Attorney General Office

[webfact]

BANGKOK DAILY SCARE

Bomb attack hit Attorney General office

By The Nation

An M-26 hand grenade was thrown at the Office of the Attorney General headquarters on Ratchadapisek road late Monday night, no one was injured.

The explosion caused damage to the lawn and shattered some windows.

The office's security guards learnt of the attack on Tuesday morning. They heard the explosion last night but mistook it for a harmless bang.

The attack came just hours after The Department of Special Investigation issued a warning of "possible politically motivated occasional bomb attacks in Bangkok" from tomorrow till the end of the year.

"The assailants want to mark their capabilities symbolically by instigating violence and unrest, to show that the authorities cannot stop them," DSI director general Tharit Phengdit said, citing the department's intelligence analysis.

-- The Nation 2010-09-28

[webfact]

Police Chief Holds Urgent Meeting to Beef up Security in Bangkok

The National Police Chief held an urgent meeting of deputy commissioner-generals and deputy commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, to discuss how to step up security measures and brace for more attacks.

National Police Chief, Police General Wichien Pojposri urged police commanders to beef up precautionary measures and watch out for disruptive activities after many bombs were found in the past week.

He specifically called for the immediate dispatch and arrival of police to crime scenes.

Wichien also asked the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to check all surveillance cameras and fix those that are not working within 15 days.

The national police chief, meanwhile, said the recent bombing in front of the Nang Lerng horse race track is linked to three previous incidents; one at The Mall department store on Ngarmwongwan Road, one at the Office of Public Health Permanent-Secretary, and one at Santiratwittaya School.

However, he said it has not yet been determined whether the Nang Lerng bombing was aimed at creating chaos ahead of their considering canceling the State of Emergency in the remaining seven provinces, which is scheduled for October 5.

Wichien affirmed that the authorities are still on top of the situation, and are calling on the public to cooperate with officers and follow instructions in the handbook on how to detect and deal with suspicious materials.

Police General Panupong Singhara Na Ayutthaya, who is heading the investigation into the four aforementioned bomb attacks, said the Department of Special Investigation is considering whether the cases will be classified as special.

Deputy spokesperson for the National Police Office, Police Major General Piya Uthayo said there are 467 high-risk locations in Bangkok, 143 of which need to be watched closely.

Spokesperson for the National Police Office, Major General Prawut Thavornsiri admitted that there are currently groups that want to create chaos.

He gave assurances that police will be on full alert for any threats of violence.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-28

[Thai at Heart]

The office's security guards learnt of the attack on Tuesday morning. They heard the explosion last night but mistook it for a harmless bang.

Good to know that Somchai wasn't sleeping on the job. :sleepy:

You really couldn't think this stuff up. The city is under SOE, and grenades/explosives are not only able to be detonated seemingly with impunity from here or there, but also, now, the security guards are so relaxed, they don't even notice it happen.

Am so glad to see that the security planning for government buildings doesn't involve apparently investigating things such as things that go bang in the dark.

[siampolee]

Thai at Heart.

With all due respect I am sure if you check you will find that bomb attacks and shootings happen on a pretty regular basis in Baghdad even with its current level of presumed high level security.

The same scenario applied in Northern Ireland as well, I assure you that from my experience of being involved in military operations the urban terrorist is indeed a difficult enemy to pinpont.

The local authorities are not trained, nor are they even geared up to cope with the Urban terrorist scenario.

[otherstuff1957]

I drive past that area every morning. It's several large building surrounded by parking lots. It's a quite extensive compound and if the guards were on the opposite side of the building or a couple of buildings away, it's not too surprising that they didn't notice the explosion.

[neverdie]

The office's security guards learnt of the attack on Tuesday morning. They heard the explosion last night but mistook it for a harmless bang.

Good to know that Somchai wasn't sleeping on the job. :sleepy:

You really couldn't think this stuff up. The city is under SOE, and grenades/explosives are not only able to be detonated seemingly with impunity from here or there, but also, now, the security guards are so relaxed, they don't even notice it happen.

Am so glad to see that the security planning for government buildings doesn't involve apparently investigating things such as things that go bang in the dark.

Unbelievalbe & well said.

[webfact]

Blast at Office of Attorney General; no injuries reported

BANGKOK: -- An explosion was reported at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) on Ratchadapisek Road Monday night, as the case of protest-related arson in May was to be submitted to the office on Tuesday.

The blast excavated a hole, 30cm wide and 10cm deep, and scattered shrapnel around the area, damaging trees but wounding no one. Parts of an explosive device were found in a plastic bag on the site.

Police initially presumed that the explosive device was an M-26 or M-61grenade.

Surapol Thongla, an OAG security guard, said he heard an explosion but thought it was from a nearby tire bursting.

He said he did not inspect the scene as it was raining, but he found the hole and shrapnel on Tuesday morning.

Pol Maj-Gen Saroj Promcharoen, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, said he believed it was the work of persons wanting to make a disturbance. He said he did not know if the blast is related to the arson at the Centre One shopping mall at Victory Monument in May.

Centre One was set a fire during the anti-government Red Shirt protests in May.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was due to submit the case to the OAG on Tuesday morning.

Thirty-five buildings in downtown Bangkok were set ablaze after military operations forced anti-government protest leaders to surrender to the authorities on May 19, dissatisfying and enraging their supporters, some of whom went on the rampage and set fire to department stores, banks, and media outlets as well as provincial halls in three northeastern provinces.

Among 35 building burned were 17 branches of five banks, Central World, Thailand's biggest shopping mall, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, Big C

Ratchadamri, the Centara Grand Hotel, Centre One at Victory Monument, Maleenon Tower (TV Channel 3's building), the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the headquarters of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Loxley Building in Klong Toey, a cinema, 17 branches of five banks, one gold shop, and one noodle shop. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-09-28

[neverdie]

Thai at Heart.

With all due respect I am sure if you check you will find that bomb attacks and shootings happen on a pretty regular basis in Baghdad even with its current level of presumed high level security.

The same scenario applied in Northern Ireland as well, I assure you that from my experience of being involved in military operations the urban terrorist is indeed a difficult enemy to pinpont.

The local authorities are not trained, nor are they even geared up to cope with the Urban terrorist scenario.

I think you will find thai at hearts comment relates to the fact that the attack wasnt initially detected when it occurred, apparently?

You would think a guard with such an important task would be checking every loud bang, of course nobody could seriously expect this man/men to prevent any terrorist attack.

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart.

With all due respect I am sure if you check you will find that bomb attacks and shootings happen on a pretty regular basis in Baghdad even with its current level of presumed high level security.

The same scenario applied in Northern Ireland as well, I assure you that from my experience of being involved in military operations the urban terrorist is indeed a difficult enemy to pinpont.

The local authorities are not trained, nor are they even geared up to cope with the Urban terrorist scenario.

I am not meaning that a humble guard should go Rambo like to prevent something like this happening. However, when something gets lobbed over the wall and damages the lawn and smashes some windows, I mean god forbid they have to actually walk around every 30 minutes or so to check the premises. Who knows what could be out there? Stray cat up a tree, burglar with a swag bag, the bogeyman, hole from a grenade in the lawn and some smashed windows.

I know it is a large facility, I know it is in the centre of town, I know TIT, I know, I know, I know.

However, an explosion in the general direction of where you are supposedly guarding is precisely that. Obviously it wasn't worth a look, I mean who knows, it could have been a bomb.

[onnut]

"BANG"

eh! What was that? I dont know how to deal with this! I know what I can do though. zzzz

[Pi Sek]

Surapol Thongla, an OAG security guard, said he heard an explosion but thought it was from a nearby tire bursting.

...

He said he did not inspect the scene as it was raining, but he found the hole and shrapnel on Tuesday morning.

Thai at Heart.

With all due respect I am sure if you check you will find that bomb attacks and shootings happen on a pretty regular basis in Baghdad even with its current level of presumed high level security.

The same scenario applied in Northern Ireland as well, I assure you that from my experience of being involved in military operations the urban terrorist is indeed a difficult enemy to pinpont.

The local authorities are not trained, nor are they even geared up to cope with the Urban terrorist scenario.

I think you will find thai at hearts comment relates to the fact that the attack wasnt initially detected when it occurred, apparently?

You would think a guard with such an important task would be checking every loud bang, of course nobody could seriously expect this man/men to prevent any terrorist attack.

Agreed - he should check EVERY loud bang, that's part of his job. But his excuse was that "it was raining" - that's not an acceptable excuse from Khun Surapol Thongla. I wonder if he'll be reassigned to an inactive post, especially after being specifically named in the report.

[asiawatcher]

It still comes back to lawlessness and the so called State of Emergency is purely symbolic. Total waste of time and all lip service for the press.

[siampolee]

Indeed the point is taken, however a lowly paid poorly trained security guard(?) is hardly going to be galvanised into action upon hearing a bang in the middle of what was or had been a pretty heavy downpour accompanied by claps of thunder.

The point I would like to make but missed in my original post is that until there is a professional approach to the matter of domestic security guard training there is not a hope of some poor soul on around 5-6,000 baht a month being motivated to risk injury.

The whole scenario reflects the total ignorance of the importance of security guards. Sad to say in Thailand they really are somewhat lacking in training and observation skills, afraid to stop someone as that someone may be a person of influence or a farang like myself.

paying peanuts gets one a monkey lack of training and education gets one a monkey. let's not blame the guard look at the system for the cause of the lackadaisical approach to security matters..

The military can't even keep their weaponry in a safe secure spot let alone prevent theft of its ordinance, this situation from the defenders of the country.

What chance has poor old Somcahai got with his whistle and baton?,

[cbc]

I drive past that area every morning. It's several large building surrounded by parking lots. It's a quite extensive compound and if the guards were on the opposite side of the building or a couple of buildings away, it's not too surprising that they didn't notice the explosion.

Oh,come on now.I am a former member of the military (infantry ) and having been around or near numerous grenade,c4 and other explosions,i can tell you that the security guard was either sleeping very soundly or he turned a so called blind ear to this.the blast was strong enough to shatter window's plus do other damage and he only took it to be a loud bang.Why not go and investigate then call the police.It's part of his job (security ).So,it wasn't reported until the next morning.What if someone had been injured and needed medical assistance ie first aid ?I'll bet he was sleep on the job just like all the other security personnel i see all over thailand that sleep on the job when,they are suppose to be guarding a vital point or guarding other peoples property ie,motor bike's and parked car's at condo unit's.But, this is thailand and i guess it's ok to be security and sleep on the job.Wouldn't last 24 hrs on the job back in the west. Same with the military.When on TDM or ammo depot duty in the military,one is required to patrol all evening and all day,with guard changes of course.Here i guess that don't apply.Let's all hope and pray that thailand doesn't get any nuclear facilities or,( no pun intended ) SEA is or will be in deep trouble.

[Gigabyte]

I drive past that area every morning. It's several large building surrounded by parking lots. It's a quite extensive compound and if the guards were on the opposite side of the building or a couple of buildings away, it's not too surprising that they didn't notice the explosion.

Oh,come on now.I am a former member of the military (infantry ) and having been around or near numerous grenade,c4 and other explosions,i can tell you that the security guard was either sleeping very soundly or he turned a so called blind ear to this.the blast was strong enough to shatter window's plus do other damage and he only took it to be a loud bang.Why not go and investigate then call the police.It's part of his job (security ).So,it wasn't reported until the next morning.What if someone had been injured and needed medical assistance ie first aid ?I'll bet he was sleep on the job just like all the other security personnel i see all over thailand that sleep on the job when,they are suppose to be guarding a vital point or guarding other peoples property ie,motor bike's and parked car's at condo unit's.But, this is thailand and i guess it's ok to be security and sleep on the job.Wouldn't last 24 hrs on the job back in the west. Same with the military.When on TDM or ammo depot duty in the military,one is required to patrol all evening and all day,with guard changes of course.Here i guess that don't apply.Let's all hope and pray that thailand doesn't get any nuclear facilities or,( no pun intended ) SEA is or will be in deep trouble.

Security guards here are NOT security guards. They are just untrained, underpaid and poorly educated people who are just happy to wear a uniform just because it makes them look like important people (something like "phu-yai" - I forgot the spelling) when they go eat their lunch at the food stall nearby. In reality their hopes are that when they are on "duty" nothing will happen. And if something happens, like a BIG BOOM, they will ignore it in hopes that other people will not notice that "something" happened". Then tomorrow will come and hopefully no one noticed that BIG BOOM or at least won't associate it with them. I would do the exact same for the exact same salary and conditions. Who would give a care when you're paid US$ 150/month and you're guarding the Benzes of people paying more than your salary just in parking fees?

[contemplating]

State of emergency and someone that it was just a loud bang!! I guess it was a loud bang, thats what grenades do. What will Thailand do with a atomic power plant? The situation is getting more unbelievable every day. Even a Thai soap opera couldnt make this s... up. Stealing weapons, then throwing a grenade and no one thinks about it??? :jap:

[animatic]

This would be the:

Convict the Dems or we start doing it when you are in your offices; grenade.

T @ H is right on the mark.

Sure they heard it, but couldn't be arsed to go look.

Which means someone could have as easily run across,

and planted a bigger one for the morning and the 'guards'

wouldn't have been the wiser.

Uh, I shouldn't use wiser and these guards in the same paragraph.

It's like they don't go and check, so they don't have to call; someone,

just in case they misunderstood, and boss got angry from them waking him up.

It's something like out of the old Zorro TV show.

Fat, dumb sidekick Sancho is able to fool the guards,

who are so stupid, fake stumps can sneak up on them

and kick them, then just stand there afterward as heads are scratched.

Edited September 28, 2010 by animatic

[Bagwan]

Pol Maj-Gen Saroj Promcharoen, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, said he believed it was the work of persons wanting to make a disturbance. He said he did not know if the blast is related to the arson at the Centre One shopping mall at Victory Monument in May.

It seems to me that he doesn't know much about anything. The first statement took my breath away. Talk about stating the bleeding obvious.  I'm wondering whether the General should swap jobs with the security guard. . 

 

[AleG]

Well... it's been pretty stormy in Krungthep the last few weeks, maybe the guard thought the bang was thunder?

I'm a little worried that as this bomb attacks become commonplace the perps will start to rise the bar to incite a bigger reaction from the public and authorities; my concern is that they may go from loosely targeted attacks to more accurate, larger and deadlier bombings.

[schmutzie]

I can agree that the lack of security sounds worrying. And the delay in the reporting. I guess CCTV and motion detectors are not installed in or around the AG offices.

That being said, security is really a low-paid job anywhere. I've seen plenty of (night time) security in the UK go for a kip once the building has been observed to be empty. They're usually, at best, students, or are holding two jobs two make ends meet.