Ten Bangkok Sites Face Bomb Threats During New Year: Police

[webfact]

NEW YEAR

Ten sites face bomb threats : police

The Nation

Bangkok, file photo. Source: wikipedia

Revellers told to stay safe during New Year; tighter security at CentralWorld

Police yesterday named 10 sites that could become bomb targets and urged people to stay away from these areas during New Year celebrations to prevent a repeat of the attacks in Bangkok five years ago that killed three and wounded 38 other revellers.

The 10 locations people have been urged to stay away from are Victory Monument, the Major Ratchayothin cinema complex, Seacon Square, CentralWorld, Khao San Road, Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes, Mor Chit bus terminal, Soi Nana and Pata Pinklao.

The home of some important people, key government agencies and political-party offices will also be under police watch. Some of these locations saw bomb attacks in 2006, and of the 38 revellers wounded, eight were foreigners.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau released this list reportedly under the advice of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung. Officers at all 88 police precincts have been ordered to go on standby during the December 8-17 and December 20-January 3 periods, in addition to attending to their regular jobs.

Security will not just be heightened during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, but police will also keep a watchful eye on drug dealing, theft and burglary and murder cases.

Anti-riot units, tourism and traffic police, and the police commando unit have been put in charge of the operations and will get additional support from military police and municipal policemen under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

At CentralWorld, where the New Year countdown is held every year, heavy police presence along with support units including sniffer dogs and bomb-disposal teams will be put in place both before and after the event. Rajdamri Road, from Ratcha-prasong to the Pratunam intersection, will be closed from 6pm on December 31 to 1am on January 1.

Telephone booths near CentralWorld will also be kept closed before and during the countdown and the entire area should get a final safety inspection before the countdown party begins at 4pm.

Extra road checkpoints will be erected at key junctions going both into and out of Bangkok from 10pm to midnight and from 1am to 3am at Vibhavadi-Rangsit Highway from the Thupatemee elevated junction, Chaeng Watthana Road, Rama IV Road, and Borromaratchonnani Road from the Chim Phlee elevated junction.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

[Buchholz]

The 10 locations people have been urged to stay away from are Victory Monument, the Major Ratchayothin cinema complex, Seacon Square, CentralWorld, Khao San Road, Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes, Mor Chit bus terminal, Soi Nana and Pata Pinklao.

Anti-riot units, tourism and traffic police, and the police commando unit have been put in charge of the operations and will get additional support from military police and municipal policemen under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

[bkkjames]

That will keep tat happy.

[ratcatcher]

Sadly, this sort of news and information gives a whole new meaning to the term "Having a blast on New Year's eve."

[cowslip]

it's hard to tell if this is a case of the police doing their job .... or not doing their job.

sounds like the kind of thing a police force might say to justify further abuses of civil rights over the holiday period, rather than actually having ay hard evidence of a risk.

[manarak]

ok, can we please have precise and true reporting please:

are there bomb threats for these sites

*OR*

are these sites at risk of becoming bomb targets

2 very different things

[jalansanitwong]

I dont socialise anymore so i will just sit at home and drink a bottle of Hong Thong ! New Years Eve has always been grossly over rated anyway.

[F4UCorsair]

I agree that they are two entirely different things, but it looks precise enough to me

Police yesterday named 10 sites that could become bomb targets

I read that as there are no threats, but they are sites that could become bomb targets, exactly as it's written

Edited December 14, 2011 by F4UCorsair

[TexasRanger]

Every public gathering is a potential terrorist target these days, make your choice, you either say you are not going to let the terrorists win and go anyway, or decide it isn't worth the risk and stay at home.

[TechnikaIII]

it's hard to tell if this is a case of the police doing their job .... or not doing their job.

sounds like the kind of thing a police force might say to justify further abuses of civil rights over the holiday period, rather than actually having ay hard evidence of a risk.

cowslip

Edited December 14, 2011 by TechnikaIII

[otherstuff1957]

"Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes,"

The rest of the potential bomb sites are crowded tourist areas, but these two have some interesting political implications!

[ingvar]

Im gonna sit on the beach and get drunk and look at all the illegal fireworks on the beach.

Last year some farang a few hundred meters away from where I was sitting had one of those New Year bombs blow up in his face and tore half the face away.

Self-inflicted terrorism?

[BKKdreaming]

Every public gathering is a potential terrorist target these days, make your choice, you either say you are not going to let the terrorists win and go anyway, or decide it isn't worth the risk and stay at home.

and that can be in any country

BK

Edited December 14, 2011 by BKKdreaming

[CockneyGit]

I dont socialise anymore so i will just sit at home and drink a bottle of Hong Thong ! New Years Eve has always been grossly over rated anyway.

Baa, humbug!

[geriatrickid]

The southern insurgents have mounted several successful attacks in the past few months. Sooner or later some wacko is going to attack a tourist area and it most likely will be in Bangkok. Much easier to hide out in Bangkok hen on the prime target of Phuket. I give thanks everyday that the locals aren't interested in suicide bombings.

[TexasRanger]

Bali springs to mind, not to mention not being able to go Christmas shopping in London when i was a kid cos of the irish problem. This isnt a new thing.

Every public gathering is a potential terrorist target these days, make your choice, you either say you are not going to let the terrorists win and go anyway, or decide it isn't worth the risk and stay at home.

and that can be in any country

BK

[animatic]

The 10 locations people have been urged to stay away from are Victory Monument, the Major Ratchayothin cinema complex, Seacon Square, CentralWorld, Khao San Road, Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes, Mor Chit bus terminal, Soi Nana and Pata Pinklao.

Anti-riot units, tourism and traffic police, and the police commando unit have been put in charge of the operations and will get additional support from military police and municipal policemen under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Gee...

I wonder who owns these properties or business near them:

Major Ratchayothin cinema complex,

Seacon Square,

CentralWorld,

Not likely friends of Chalerm....

[anon467367354]

this looks like total fear mongering by the new government. Create fear among the people and have the government take away your liberties in trade of "protection" This new government has presented nothing but incompetence and lies, especially from the DP, I don't believe any of this, nor do I believe the "bomb" found near the Lottery Dept was a real threat either, but more of setting the stage for more mongering to come.

[rotorbreeze]

Im gonna sit on the beach and get drunk and look at all the illegal fireworks on the beach.

Last year some farang a few hundred meters away from where I was sitting had one of those New Year bombs blow up in his face and tore half the face away.

Self-inflicted terrorism?

I might join ya on the beach away from anything that is inflammable. For those whom want to be part of the festivity, give them these word of advise it could be the best Resolution to follow during the New Year. Best stay away from crowded venues of combustible materials hung from ceilings. The foreigners whom rely on government regulations are not ALWAYS follow building codes... on the shandy discos that are fire traps having blocked or locked exits, restrict any pyromaniacs events could be the norm, but always have some idiot with pockets of fireworks. If young people (and seniors) still want to become part of celebrations, dress in cotton wear, do not wear Rayon or anything flammable. Make a mental note of all fire exits and if possible get seating close to these life saving portals! Enough said have a great New Year and caution should always follow valor.

[luckizuchinni]

"Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes,"

The rest of the potential bomb sites are crowded tourist areas, but these two have some interesting political implications!

Pata Pinklao? No tourists there. And rather surprising choice as Central Pinklao is just down the road and has much, much larger crowds there. Even the Tesco Lotus has more people than Pata.

[cowslip]

basically the police want people to stay away from certain places - why? Well that could be any of a hundred reasons.....including financial.

[cowslip]

one also has to think WHY and WHO with "bombs" in Thailand.

"Terrorists" as a description is vitally redundant - it means nothing more than "boogieman"

Bombs in Thailand tend to have a financial aspect - tasters, business, politicians rather than any particular disaffected ethic or religious group.

but it makes life simpler for the police to invoke this boogieman from time to time - just look at this thread and see how many swallow that line of crap.

[peterdes]

I agree complete , this can happen everywhere in the world

big city's all over the world ho are doing good are targets, jealousy had something to do with it ?

I was working in Saudie for 3 years , you are not even allowed there to put a christmas tree in the workshop or they can put you in jail; very serieus

So, go out and enjouy , dont let this crazy people win over the rest of the world,

Merry christmas and a happy New Year

[cowslip]

I agree complete , this can happen everywhere in the world

big city's all over the world ho are doing good are targets, jealousy had something to do with it ?

I was working in Saudie for 3 years , you are not even allowed there to put a christmas tree in the workshop or they can put you in jail; very serieus

So, go out and enjouy , dont let this crazy people win over the rest of the world,

Merry christmas and a happy New Year

"jealousy"? - sounds like you are American

[robokop]

That will keep tat happy.

Is this part of the campaign to attract more tourists to Thailand?

[webfact]

Electrical wires dumped in garbage can caused bomb scare at Lardprao Soi 80; police don't believe this is New Year unrest /TANN

[flyinghigh]

............W T F..........

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You'd have to wonder exactly how the police managed to come up with such a list? Inside information perhaps? More black shirt wearing policemen, in Chalerm's eyes?

I must say, this is the first time I can recall anyone in authority ever talking about Nana being a potential bomb threat target.... Nana???

But I do feel much better hearing that the traffic police, among others, will be in charge of New Year's anti-bomb security.... Every time I pass by one of the police traffic kiosks around town and see the cop inside reading the newspaper or snoozing, I thank my lucky stars for the top-notch law enforcement that we have here.

[witsawakorn]

Basically the gov.seems to be covering their A** because if something happens they can say." Told you not to go there" Perhaps it would be more useful having a public awareness campaign about looking out for suspect packages and what to do if you see one. I still think about such things after being indoctrinated in UK to look out for the IRA'S bombs in the 70's and 80's

Edited December 14, 2011 by witsawakorn

[bino]

"Chitralada Palace, Si Sao Thewes,"

The rest of the potential bomb sites are crowded tourist areas, but these two have some interesting political implications!

Pata Pinklao? No tourists there. And rather surprising choice as Central Pinklao is just down the road and has much, much larger crowds there. Even the Tesco Lotus has more people than Pata.

Pata Pinklao- maybe no tourists but obviously something "strategic" there. As example; I can see Imperial Lad Prao clearly from my balcony, and if you have ever been to the 5th and 6th floors above the arena there, it is an interestingly red experience. The building has become a "sensitive area" before, and could again.

The other potential target... unthinkable Speechless that any Thai could even consider this.