US Embassy Warns Of Possible Terrorist Attack In Bangkok

[thequietman]

Embassies don't put out these warnings without good reason. I think we should take note and act accordingly.

I agree totally. dont forget about the warning about weapons of mass destruction. that turned out to be true also. wont be long now before the uk embassy jumps on board.

I don't recall any embassy putting out a warning on weapons of mass destruction, please tell us when that was.

If it helps, I can remember a discredited British Prime Minister claiming in Parliament that WMD were pointing at the UK with a 45 ETA, but that's not quite the same thing as you claim, is it?

Shame the UK had no prior warnings about the 7-7 terrorist bombings as there would be many innocent people alive today.

the embassy is purely the mouth piece of the government. the government tells, the embassy says. i was refering to the american establishment as a whole. remember fear is power and thats how the american government wants you to be. afraid, very afraid.

the american government has shot itself in the foot too many times as regards credible threats.

there is no trust there and to that end i dont trust the government.

[xthAi76s]

"Well, I'm already scared enough of Thais in general..."

Why, on earth?! Bad experiences?

I'm weary of being approached anywhere and always question people's motives and listen to my intuition but I'm not scared of anyone or any group.

Not meant to include all Thais but what it means is that I find the overwhelming majority to be difficult to understand (even with trying) or unpredictable, religious, inward-focused, etc etc. As a foreigner, I am not about taking risks here when it comes to people, so I treat every one of them as a potential threat ... It works for me.

I have a few Thai friends who were influenced by living abroad and I am learning the language. I am not a generally negative person, but I find that being foreign I am particularly vulnerable, so I keep to myself.

Anyway, this is off topic, and the topic is quite important, so I again apologize for that.

Edited January 13, 2012 by ThailandMan

[Mosha]

This line says it all I think

"For Thai citizen, there is no need to announce any warning because it will cause panic and will affect our tourism."

[bangkokhoosier]

probably a precaution to the incident here http://westminsterjo...-sparks-outrage

I think when they say imminent then they should give more details, otherwise it's fear mongering, or they have become paranoid now. a false flag could also be brewing ...

"They" did not say "imminent". Whoever started this thread did.

They did not use that word, but did say terrorists are CURRENTLY looking to conduct terrorist activities. I.E. Imminent...or soon.

Why then has the US Embassy recalled their messages to US citizens (of which I am one). I have nothing further than the recall and I just now checked.

I am a Yank too and I got three: warning, recall, ignore the recall. But I think this all may be over soon, now that the two Hezbollahpaloozas have been nabbed,

[Suradit69]

Not sure if this was mentioned in any of the twelve pages of banter and America-bashing, but supposedly a Lebanese member of Hezbollah was just arrested in Bangkok.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Suradit69

[samsiam]

Might sleep in the mosque tonight.

[bangkokhoosier]

Embassies don't put out these warnings without good reason. I think we should take note and act accordingly.

I agree totally. dont forget about the warning about weapons of mass destruction. that turned out to be true also. wont be long now before the uk embassy jumps on board.

I don't recall any embassy putting out a warning on weapons of mass destruction, please tell us when that was.

If it helps, I can remember a discredited British Prime Minister claiming in Parliament that WMD were pointing at the UK with a 45 ETA, but that's not quite the same thing as you claim, is it?

Shame the UK had no prior warnings about the 7-7 terrorist bombings as there would be many innocent people alive today.

the embassy is purely the mouth piece of the government. the government tells, the embassy says. i was refering to the american establishment as a whole. remember fear is power and thats how the american government wants you to be. afraid, very afraid.

the american government has shot itself in the foot too many times as regards credible threats.

there is no trust there and to that end i dont trust the government.

Never trust ANY government.

[bangkokhoosier]

Might sleep in the mosque tonight.

Shia or Sunni? Choose wisely.

[Jingthing]

Hezbollahpaloozas

I love it. Maybe someday a good name for gay sauna.

[bangkokhoosier]

Not sure if this was mentioned in any of the twelve pages of banter and America-bashing, but supposedly a Lebanese member of Hezbollah was just arrested in Bangkok.

Yes it was and two suspects were arrested.

[Jingthing]

Not sure if this was mentioned in any of the twelve pages of banter and America-bashing, but supposedly a Lebanese member of Hezbollah was just arrested in Bangkok.

It was mentioned. Panic over perhaps.

[MUSTYJACK]

Better to live in a country with a Guantanamo, than to live in a liberal left politically correct joke like Europe or Australia.

God Bless the Yanks and their balls of steel !!!

[bangkokhoosier]

This line says it all I think

"For Thai citizen, there is no need to announce any warning because it will cause panic and will affect our tourism."

Seriously. The govt. would try to hush up news of a raging cholera epidemic in the name of preserving tourism revenue.

[bangkokhoosier]

Better to live in a country with a Guantanamo, than to live in a liberal left politically correct joke like Europe or Australia.

God Bless the Yanks and their balls of steel !!!

This Yank is embarrassed by your words and wishes you would stay on topic.

[talisman01]

From the BBC's website:

The US has warned its citizens in the Thai capital, Bangkok, to be on the alert over a possible terrorist threat.

Its embassy in the city said US citizens should "exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather".

Thai Defence Minister General Yutthasak Sasiprapha said the US had warned Thai authorities that two suspected Muslim "terrorists" had entered the country.

But he told the AFP news agency a general public warning was not needed.

"Our intelligence officials are working closely with the US and following the terrorists' movements closely," he said.

"I believe we will arrest them tonight. For Thai citizens, there is no need to announce any warning because it will cause panic and will affect our tourism."

The US embassy said Americans in Bangkok should "keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists", without giving further details/

Bangkok has been hit by several small scale bombs in recent years in what are thought to have been politically motivated attacks, and Thai Islamist insurgents regularly carry out attacks in the southern provinces.

But attacks on or by foreigners are rare.

[ratcatcher]

Better to live in a country with a Guantanamo, than to live in a liberal left politically correct joke like Europe or Australia.

God Bless the Yanks and their balls of steel !!!

Cuba most certainly isn't liberal left P.C. AFAIK.

[slapout]

Has been reported on google news that a individual has been arrested by Thai police in regard to this topic.

[sbk]

Not sure if this was mentioned in any of the twelve pages of banter and America-bashing, but supposedly a Lebanese member of Hezbollah was just arrested in Bangkok.

It was mentioned. Panic over perhaps.

DPM, Police Chief Confirm Arrest of Two Suspected Lebanese Terrorists

In response to the U.S. embassy's issuance of an emergency warning in Bangkok, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra revealed that authorities have known of the threat for sometime. She added that the National Intelligence Agency and the National Police Office are closely following the developments.

At the same time, National Police Chief Priewpan Damapong confirmed that the U.S. had informed Thailand that two Lebanese nationals linked to the Hezbollah group and suspected of terrorism had entered Thailand and could possibly be staging an attack.

Initial reports indicate that he and Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung both went on to confirm that the two suspects have been arrested. There has not been any confirmation that the two arrested suspects are the reason behind the emergency warning.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi told a press conference that the US embassy has been sharing information about the threat with the ministry and other foreign embassies for some time and the other embassies are in the process of considering whether to issue a similar warning.

The US Embassy in Bangkok posted an emergency message to its citizens of a possible terrorist threat on its website this afternoon.

The message on the US Embassy website said quote "This message alerts US citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. US citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok. US citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists." end quote.

A little later, a recall message was sent out to recall the emergency message, but then the recall message was withdrawn saying it was a technical error and the original emergency message still stands.

US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney confirmed the authenticity of the message via her Twitter account @KristieKenny. She added that the message should be read carefully and be considered as US citizens in Bangkok plan their activities.

In a phone interview with TAN Network, US Embassy Spokesman Walter Braunohler reiterated that there is specific and credible information about a terrorist attack in Bangkok in the near future. However, he refused to disclose details as to the possible targets or the timeframe.

The warning can be accessed via the US Embassy's website at bangkok.usembassy.gov.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-13

[Tatsujin]

Even paranoids have enemies.

. . . who said that? <goes back to hiding under the sofa>

[xenophon]

Who would want to hits us over here in Bangkok? Doesn't add up. I wonder if the threats are indeed foreign or related to some recent foreign involvement/comments in the politics over here...

Who? 1) Have a good, long look at Sukhumvit soi 3 and surrounds or 2) has the southern sultanate at last decided to strike Bkk?

[bangkokhoosier]

Not sure if this was mentioned in any of the twelve pages of banter and America-bashing, but supposedly a Lebanese member of Hezbollah was just arrested in Bangkok.

It was mentioned. Panic over perhaps.

DPM, Police Chief Confirm Arrest of Two Suspected Lebanese Terrorists

In response to the U.S. embassy's issuance of an emergency warning in Bangkok, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra revealed that authorities have known of the threat for sometime. She added that the National Intelligence Agency and the National Police Office are closely following the developments.

At the same time, National Police Chief Priewpan Damapong confirmed that the U.S. had informed Thailand that two Lebanese nationals linked to the Hezbollah group and suspected of terrorism had entered Thailand and could possibly be staging an attack.

Initial reports indicate that he and Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung both went on to confirm that the two suspects have been arrested. There has not been any confirmation that the two arrested suspects are the reason behind the emergency warning.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi told a press conference that the US embassy has been sharing information about the threat with the ministry and other foreign embassies for some time and the other embassies are in the process of considering whether to issue a similar warning.

The US Embassy in Bangkok posted an emergency message to its citizens of a possible terrorist threat on its website this afternoon.

The message on the US Embassy website said quote "This message alerts US citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. US citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok. US citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists." end quote.

A little later, a recall message was sent out to recall the emergency message, but then the recall message was withdrawn saying it was a technical error and the original emergency message still stands.

US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney confirmed the authenticity of the message via her Twitter account @KristieKenny. She added that the message should be read carefully and be considered as US citizens in Bangkok plan their activities.

In a phone interview with TAN Network, US Embassy Spokesman Walter Braunohler reiterated that there is specific and credible information about a terrorist attack in Bangkok in the near future. However, he refused to disclose details as to the possible targets or the timeframe.

The warning can be accessed via the US Embassy's website at bangkok.usembassy.gov.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-13

Am I reading too deeply into this or does it sound as if the Thai govt was willing to sit on this if the US embassy did not go public? Thoughts?

[arrowsdawdle]

If it wasn't for the fact that Americans re paranoid I might take it seriously.

But that is not the case.

Even paranoids have enemies.

Just cuz you aren't paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

[OriginalPoster]

Better to live in a country with a Guantanamo, than to live in a liberal left politically correct joke like Europe or Australia.

God Bless the Yanks and their balls of steel !!!

Cuba most certainly isn't liberal left P.C. AFAIK.

How would you characterize it, as somewhat right of center?

[OriginalPoster]

Am I reading too deeply into this or does it sound as if the Thai govt was willing to sit on this if the US embassy did not go public? Thoughts?

Quite possible, even likely, but it's more fun to point fingers at the Americans than the Thais.

[newsweird]

So true!

They do forget, and are programmed to have exactly no respect or honor. They won't remember WW2 or the Cold War.

They don't respect their own elders and have never suffered.

Our embassy cares. We care. We are actually pretty cool people, period. Try getting to know us a little better, try living in our country, try to understand who we are. Why we would have an embassy that issues alerts to make sure people are safe. It's basic, simple, and human.

We are you. Your own ancestors, from every country, without exception, all migrated to the US and made a life. Pro-Freedom, anti-terrorist.

You don't speak for us. We speak for us. Do you ever hear us insult you in this forum? Ever? This was a post about a terrorist alert. Heed it.

Thanks to Thaivisa for deleting the deeply racist posts and banning those who went too far.

Semper Fi well said

[willwildy]

This is the USA clown show in action. You want a NCIS or CIA party in bangkok you warn of an attack. The whole community gets orders there to find the problem and after they party for a week. They say they thwarted it and all is now well.

[webfact]

Thailand detains suspect after US attack warning

BANGKOK, January 13, 2012 (AFP) - Thai authorities said Friday they had detained a Lebanese man with suspected links to the Hezbollah militant group, after the United States warned of a terrorist threat against tourists in the kingdom.

"Foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future," the US embassy in Bangkok said in an emergency message posted on its website.

"US citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok."

A Thai senior intelligence officer who did not want to be named told AFP that the kingdom had been informed before the New Year by Israel of a possible threat.

The suspect was detained Thursday while the other man had already fled the country, he said.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told AFP by telephone that the detained suspect was being questioned by the Thai authorities.

"We already have one suspect in custody for interrogation at a government building in Bangkok. He is a Hezbollah from Lebanon," he said.

"I want to assure people that there is nothing to worry about. The police will take care of the situation and everything will be under control."

Hezbollah, an Iranian- and Syrian-backed Muslim Shiite group, is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by Washington and currently dominates the Lebanese government.

"Israel was suspicious that these two men might be terrorists, so they gave information, including their names, to our police before the New Year," the senior intelligence officer said.

The suspect has denied involvement with any terrorist activities, he added.

"These two men entered Thailand a while ago but did not conduct any terrorist activity. I wonder why Israel was suspicious about them."

The warning is another blow to Thailand's tourist-friendly image, which was badly dented last year by devastating flooding across much of the country, as well as rounds of rival political protests in recent years.

In 2008 a nine-day blockade by "Yellow Shirt" protesters stranded tens of thousands of travellers, and the industry was badly hit again in 2010 during "Red Shirt" street demonstrations.

Bangkok's central shopping area was reduced to a battle zone during an army crackdown on the rallies, and more than 90 people were left dead.

An eight-year-old shadowy insurgency continues to plague the country's Muslim-majority deep south, but the rebels have never been known to attack outside of the region.

The insurgents are not thought to be part of a global jihad movement but rather are rebelling against a long history of perceived discrimination against ethnic Malay Muslims by governments in the Buddhist-majority country.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also told reporters that authorities in the kingdom had the current situation under control.

"I would like to tell our people and tourists that there is nothing to worry about," she said.

In the most prominent terrorist attack in Southeast Asia in recent history, 202 people -- most of them foreign tourists -- were killed in 2002 by bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali.

In August 2003, alleged mastermind Riduan Isamuddin, an Indonesian known as Hambali, was arrested in Thailand.

He was suspected of being Al-Qaeda's representative in Southeast Asia and operational chief of Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-01-13

[Ulysses G.]

Two Lebanese will now disappear without a trace.

I hope that the Thai police are not too hard on the dear boys.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Old Man River]

I am a Yank too and I got three: warning, recall, ignore the recall. But I think this all may be over soon, now that the two Hezbollahpaloozas have been nabbed,

I still haven't received the recall. Maybe my wife did and they thought that was good enough. It is kind of confusing to begin with and more so when only some are copied on all the messages and some on part of the messages.

[bangkokhoosier]

Curiouser and curiouser. This article says the targets in BKK were Israelis. Where could they possibly hit Israleis besides the embassy--which is darned near inpenetrable? Airlines? Any thoughts?

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/lebanese-held-amid-terror-1301317.html