Thai Govt In Damage Control On Terror

[Jingthing]

Are there any countries in the world that are not under threat of Terrorist action? It is a "Fact of Life" in today's world. Civilisation is an extremely thin veneer.

Yes, I think there are some countries with very low chances of hosting terrorist attacks, either internal or external. Costa Rica comes to mind.

JT.

I lived in Costa Rica for many years. car bombings, assinations you name it. I suppose it depends on you definition of what constitutes a terroist action. I can tell you many many people live in terror there. I can think of no country that is exempt.

What you mentioned, targeted assassinations for specific cause directed at specific individuals, obviously aren't terrorism.

[boggle]

Are there any countries in the world that are not under threat of Terrorist action? It is a "Fact of Life" in today's world. Civilisation is an extremely thin veneer.

Yes, I think there are some countries with very low chances of hosting terrorist attacks, either internal or external. Costa Rica comes to mind.

JT.

I lived in Costa Rica for many years. car bombings, assinations you name it. I suppose it depends on you definition of what constitutes a terroist action. I can tell you many many people live in terror there. I can think of no country that is exempt.

What you mentioned, targeted assassinations for specific cause directed at specific individuals, obviously aren't terrorism.

Like I said, "define terrorism". Both as you say internal and external.

[TinoThailand]

Are there any countries in the world that are not under threat of Terrorist action? It is a "Fact of Life" in today's world. Civilisation is an extremely thin veneer.

Yes, I think there are some countries with very low chances of hosting terrorist attacks, either internal or external. Costa Rica comes to mind.

JT.

I lived in Costa Rica for many years. car bombings, assinations you name it. I suppose it depends on you definition of what constitutes a terroist action. I can tell you many many people live in terror there. I can think of no country that is exempt.

What you mentioned, targeted assassinations for specific cause directed at specific individuals, obviously aren't terrorism.

Sorry you are wrong he maid a good point. Terror is spam, terror is terror when someone fine it terror like we are terror to some Arabs in some countries. Just facts open your eyes. I find the media system terror on the human brains, this is why so many cant think or see clearly.

[Fookhaht]

OK just for the sake of argument, let's assume the USA had decided defer to the Thai government's after-the-fact admonishment of the USA's actions.

USA embassy in BKK notifies the Thai government that they want to issue a terrorist alert to its own citizens.

I see two possible scenarios:

1) Thai government sits on it until it's too late. (Normal M.O.: Always go around a problem, or table it to see if it'll go away; at the very least don't rock the public boat or tourism dollar)

2) The Thai government refuses permission, citing possible dip in tourist numbers. Just exactly what kind of response do you think they'd get from the USA government?

Comment:

I don't remember tourism dollars ever being in the slightest consideration with any US or Israeli terrorist warnings to their own citizens yet. Their normal M.O. (and especially the US since 9/11) has been safety first, worry about other fallout later. I think that's the right course.

[OccamsRazor]

Yes, there have been many warnings to American citizens through email over the last 9 years I've lived here: warnings about the flood situation, red shirt protests in BKK which resulted in bloodshed, SARS, etc. However, this is the FIRST instance in which there was a specific and imminent terror warning with Bangkok as its target.

Actually I believe most of those were travel advisories and not an all out warning as this one was. For example, there has been a travel advisory regarding the South for a while now. 20 years here and not seen a warning like this

[Fookhaht]

Yes, there have been many warnings to American citizens through email over the last 9 years I've lived here: warnings about the flood situation, red shirt protests in BKK which resulted in bloodshed, SARS, etc. However, this is the FIRST instance in which there was a specific and imminent terror warning with Bangkok as its target.

Actually I believe most of those were travel advisories and not an all out warning as this one was. For example, there has been a travel advisory regarding the South for a while now. 20 years here and not seen a warning like this

Thank you for that clarification, amplifying further the point I was trying to make.

[Jingthing]

If it was not for the Yanks, you would probably not be speaking English, possibly German or Japanese.

As for the warning, better to get it out there than no warning at all.

.....but then american's don't actually speak English, do they ?

Latest entry in the groaner post of the month contest.

[TinoThailand]

If it was not for the Yanks, you would probably not be speaking English, possibly German or Japanese.

As for the warning, better to get it out there than no warning at all.

.....but then american's don't actually speak English, do they ?

Lol, to be honest Thai understand USA people better then the UK English and me too but I'm Dutch.

I give a point to the USA now fisrt time today hahaha

[Jingthing]

If it was not for the Yanks, you would probably not be speaking English, possibly German or Japanese.

As for the warning, better to get it out there than no warning at all.

.....but then american's don't actually speak English, do they ?

Lol, to be honest Thai understand USA people better then the UK English and me too but I'm Dutch.

I give a point to the USA now fisrt time today hahaha

Same with Portuguese. Who speaks Portuguese with more creative finesse? Portuguese or Brazilians? New worlders add a certain Je ne sais quoi. Edited January 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[OriginalPoster]

Yes you're right this was/is a real threat!

However the USA get this always on itself for lie and dirty games all the time. It is perfectly normal people get angry besides what they say or write. They get angry on the big picture.

In other words, they were right but still they are in the wrong.

[rogera]

I note that not one of the anti-American posters have even bothered to answer any of my questions posed in my post #148. Why not? Are they too difficult for any of you to answer?

Hmmm... probably no answers due to the loaded term "anti-American."

Most people probably don't identify themselves as such just because they disagree with some of its foreign policy.

But your questions are easy and I don't see what they have to do with the US or its foreign policy. My answers in CAPS...

1. Do you not believe that every embassy in Thailand has the right and responsibly to notify its citizens of any threat to their safety? If not, why not? SURE, THEY CAN. WHY NOT?

2. Do you not think that, had the US embassy not issued its warning, that the Thai authorities would have informed the Thai public of this threat? NO, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO INFORM... NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED.

3. Do you trust that Thai Government will act for the benefit of its citizens, or for that matter, any foreigner living here. NO, THEY ACT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT, JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENTS OF MOST COUNTRIES.

4. Would any of you buy a used car from this mob? NOT SURE WHO YOU ARE REFERRING TO AS "THIS MOB", BUT I DON'T NEED A USED CAR ANYWAY.

Thank you for your reply.

1.1. Do you not believe that every embassy in Thailand has the right and responsibly to notify its citizens of any threat to their safety? If not, why not? SURE, THEY CAN. WHY NOT?

Then you agree with the fact that the American Embassy should, irrespective of what the Thai government think, to warn its citizens of an possible impending terrorist threat.

2. Do you not think that, had the US embassy not issued its warning, that the Thai authorities would have informed the Thai public of this threat? NO, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO INFORM... NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED.

You say that despite nearly 400 lbs of explosive making material being found in Sakhon Nakhon (on the information provided by the alleged terrorist). Nothing much happened because the US Embassy blew the whistle on the Thai intelligence agencies. Had they not done so, it is highly likely that the Thai government would be scrambling to explain why a terrorist attack had occurred and they had not warned their citizens. As I have stated before, the Thai government, such as it is, prefers to save face rather than lives,

3. Do you trust that Thai Government will act for the benefit of its citizens, or for that matter, any foreigner living here. NO, THEY ACT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT, JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENTS OF MOST COUNTRIES.

You live here. I would therefore expect you to be among the loudest complainers to your embassy and on this forum, had the terrorists been successful in achieving their objective.

4. Would any of you buy a used car from this mob? NOT SURE WHO YOU ARE REFERRING TO AS "THIS MOB", BUT I DON'T NEED A USED CAR ANYWAY.

That was a rhetorical question. I am surprised that you answered it. Obviously you miss that.

[kimamey]

How far away does one have to get to truly get away from the American non-sense that constantly flows out of the government? Sorry, but meaningless scare tactics don't impress me. Furthermore, if two people can stimulate a panic without even doing anything, then the so-called bad guys win, period.

In addition, this 'cry wolf' crap is really getting old. Here's an idea America: try minding your own business and stop pissing on the rest of the world. See how that works instead of the normal gospel-spreading course, please.

Seems you speak English , your welcome.

Nice retort. If that's what you got out of what I said, I guess I'll reply by asking if are not plenty of other countries where I could have learned to speak English? Many of these countries don't instigate and perpetuate constant violence. I'm tired of US imperialism and just want to live my life in peaceful Thailand. I'm 12 times zones away, leave me alone, please.

Ok. Get off the internet then.

[TinoThailand]

Yes you're right this was/is a real threat!

However the USA get this always on itself for lie and dirty games all the time. It is perfectly normal people get angry besides what they say or write. They get angry on the big picture.

In other words, they were right but still they are in the wrong.

I'm afraid ther is some basic evil in every country yes. If those have the power the country is lost.

[TechnikaIII]

How many times have you gone to a restaurant like McDonalds or Food court in paragon (for example), and seen someone place a bag on a table to reserve it and walk away, what would happen if that bag contained a bomb.

People need to be educated about terrorism, maybe things like this will help educate them, but I very much doubt it.

Unlike Americans and Brits Thai's aren't brick scared of empty bags in public places probably because they don't have enemies.

But seems Terrorism has now been imported into to Thailand so I would really advice avoiding places like McDonalds or where US citizens hang out.

"so I would really advice avoiding places like McDonalds or where US citizens hang out."

I do that anyway, ...

[OriginalPoster]

Yes you're right this was/is a real threat!

However the USA get this always on itself for lie and dirty games all the time. It is perfectly normal people get angry besides what they say or write. They get angry on the big picture.

In other words, they were right but still they are in the wrong.

I'm afraid ther is some basic evil in every country yes. If those have the power the country is lost.

What people here attribute to Americans goes far beyond basic evil.

[OriginalPoster]

If it was not for the Yanks, you would probably not be speaking English, possibly German or Japanese.

As for the warning, better to get it out there than no warning at all.

here we go with the old story 'the usa won WW2'

And the same old story that it's critically important to some to minimize the US contribution to WWII and to paint every action since as being unprovoked aggression.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts, conspiracy theory posts, and other nonsense posts have been removed.

[Pib]

Yes, there have been many warnings to American citizens through email over the last 9 years I've lived here: warnings about the flood situation, red shirt protests in BKK which resulted in bloodshed, SARS, etc. However, this is the FIRST instance in which there was a specific and imminent terror warning with Bangkok as its target.

Actually I believe most of those were travel advisories and not an all out warning as this one was. For example, there has been a travel advisory regarding the South for a while now. 20 years here and not seen a warning like this

Thank you for that clarification, amplifying further the point I was trying to make.

Read the actual message sent at this Bangkok U.S. Embassy Link. The message is identical to the one I received via email. The message title is :Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat.

[kerryk]

How far away does one have to get to truly get away from the American non-sense that constantly flows out of the government? Sorry, but meaningless scare tactics don't impress me. Furthermore, if two people can stimulate a panic without even doing anything, then the so-called bad guys win, period.

In addition, this 'cry wolf' crap is really getting old. Here's an idea America: try minding your own business and stop pissing on the rest of the world. See how that works instead of the normal gospel-spreading course, please.

1. How do you know anything? Do you have access to the intelligence sources of 14 countries, including America?

2. "Cry Wolf" says you. Again, what do you know? Come one, oh you who know so much - give us your sources.

3. They are not trying to impress you. They are trying to protect me.

4. "How far away?" you ask. I, for one, am grateful my country cares enough to warn me all the way across the world.

5. Here's an idea - why don't you mind your own business? No, I cannot imagine you doing that - you're so well informed, wise and virtuous. Not.

6. If my country warns me and raises awareness and no attack happens - everyone wins - period.

How about this idea:

If my country (America) perceives sufficient threat to warn me; that good enough for me. I imagine they have access to a bit more information than you. I, for one, appreciate being warned.

And here's another suggestion, why don't you keep your nose out of my country's business?

You really upset me Mister.

A grateful American

Seeker

For starters, I'm an American expat too, so it's not YOUR country. I did exactly what YOUR and my country constantly told me "America, love it or leave it". I left, stop following me!

Now onto your silly questions:

1. How do you know anything? Do you have access to the intelligence sources of 14 countries, including America?

14 other countries are puppets of the US and follow their lead, not breaking news. How do I know anything... really, anything? Let's start with the WMDs that never existed and the subsequent attack of a country that didn't attack my country... oh I can go on and on about the 'anything' that I know.

2. "Cry Wolf" says you. Again, what do you know? Come one, oh you who know so much - give us your sources.

Assuming you're familiar with the story and hoping you're aware that back in the homeland there is a silly 'color of the day' scare system. One day you can go to an airport and there's a yellow level of a potential terrorist threat. The next day it's red. Seriously, do you actually take this seriously? My sources are plentiful, but this is basically common sense. There is money to be made by keeping Americans and other frightened. I suggest watching the brilliant BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares". It's all available on YouTube.

3. They are not trying to impress you. They are trying to protect me.

They're not impressing me or the tourism industry which is under constant threat from ridiculous pandemic alerts from WHO and the CDC and the highly speculative world of journalism where actual facts play a minor role in reporting events... see the BBC and CNN's coverage of the Redshirt protests where they tried to make this out to be a Robin Hood-ish story with Thaksin as the good guy. They tried to make it seem like these were peaceful protestors... um, see http://www.youtube.c...d&v=Vgl_cgEmzxA Were these photos Photoshopped?

4. "How far away?" you ask. I, for one, am grateful my country cares enough to warn me all the way across the world.

There we differ. I weened myself off of the American teet. I don't want nor need any assistance or advice from Big Brother.

5. Here's an idea - why don't you mind your own business? No, I cannot imagine you doing that - you're so well informed, wise and virtuous. Not.

Here's another idea: grow a pair. I can comment if I wish. If you don't like it, simply don't read what I write.

6. If my country warns me and raises awareness and no attack happens - everyone wins - period.

Everyone wins for giving false alarms. Man, that's really well thought-through. Perhaps you should read The Boy Who Cried Wolf again and actually pay attention to the message. There is a REAL danger in constantly warning people. The terrorists are winning thanks to sheeple like your 'upset' self.

Good day...

This post needs a bump.

[richard10365]

Perhaps if the terrorist were threatening Thai people in Bangkok they would see things differently.

[rogera]

Yes you're right this was/is a real threat!

However the USA get this always on itself for lie and dirty games all the time. It is perfectly normal people get angry besides what they say or write. They get angry on the big picture.

In other words, they were right but still they are in the wrong.

I'm afraid ther is some basic evil in every country yes. If those have the power the country is lost.

What people here attribute to Americans goes far beyond basic evil.

There are many things wrong with American government policy and legislature, (as there are with many of the world's governments) but the one thing that the US Embassy is mandated by law to do is to warn their citizens abroad of an impending terrorist threat. The fact that the Thai government prefers to save face rather than lives would indicate that the Embassy was absolutely correct in issuing the threat alert.

Many posters on this thread have introduced extraneous topics that have nothing to do with the subject of this thread and have indicated a total lack of tolerance for other peoples' views. I would prefer a rational debate that sticks to the topic and without all the extraneous subjects and the lack of tolerance that many posters have inflicted upon each other during this discourse. A civil debate is something that this forum should strive for as it would greatly enhance the rather poor quality of many of the posts that I have read here.

[Jingthing]

Perhaps if the terrorist were threatening Thai people in Bangkok they would see things differently.

I wouldn't bet on that if being open about it might harm tourism and Thai hyper-nationalistic face.

[kerryk]

How far away does one have to get to truly get away from the American non-sense that constantly flows out of the government? Sorry, but meaningless scare tactics don't impress me. Furthermore, if two people can stimulate a panic without even doing anything, then the so-called bad guys win, period.

In addition, this 'cry wolf' crap is really getting old. Here's an idea America: try minding your own business and stop pissing on the rest of the world. See how that works instead of the normal gospel-spreading course, please.

Bump this too. This great stuff.

[chadfm]

I should not have posted on this board. I realized I wasted my time posting after I wasted my time reading the posts. Every single post on this board is simply silly and not worth reading. Also, the news articles that spawn the discussion are, 9 times out of 10, misinformed and contain no real info. I guess I will have to stick with janes.com.

[erobando]

Thank you for your reply.

1.1. Do you not believe that every embassy in Thailand has the right and responsibly to notify its citizens of any threat to their safety? If not, why not? SURE, THEY CAN. WHY NOT?

Then you agree with the fact that the American Embassy should, irrespective of what the Thai government think, to warn its citizens of an possible impending terrorist threat.

2. Do you not think that, had the US embassy not issued its warning, that the Thai authorities would have informed the Thai public of this threat? NO, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO INFORM... NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED.

You say that despite nearly 400 lbs of explosive making material being found in Sakhon Nakhon (on the information provided by the alleged terrorist). Nothing much happened because the US Embassy blew the whistle on the Thai intelligence agencies. Had they not done so, it is highly likely that the Thai government would be scrambling to explain why a terrorist attack had occurred and they had not warned their citizens. As I have stated before, the Thai government, such as it is, prefers to save face rather than lives,

3. Do you trust that Thai Government will act for the benefit of its citizens, or for that matter, any foreigner living here. NO, THEY ACT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT, JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENTS OF MOST COUNTRIES.

You live here. I would therefore expect you to be among the loudest complainers to your embassy and on this forum, had the terrorists been successful in achieving their objective.

4. Would any of you buy a used car from this mob? NOT SURE WHO YOU ARE REFERRING TO AS "THIS MOB", BUT I DON'T NEED A USED CAR ANYWAY.

That was a rhetorical question. I am surprised that you answered it. Obviously you miss that.

Follow-ups...

#1... I don't see an issue. The Embassy can issue a warning. Why do keep re-stating it? It's not a point of contention.

#2.... Wait? So you think that the Thai government acted only after the US Embassy issued the warning? Just because the Thai government publicly responded to the issue doesn't mean that they weren't doing anything before the warning. They produced info about the guy within a couple hours of the US warning... the Thai government obviously had been working on this for a long time but felt the need to be more public about it because of image issues.

Yeah, nothing happened. No deaths, no bombing. An arrest was made... plenty of arrests are made for all sorts of things without our knowledge. I'm sure not every single "terror"-related arrest in the US is made public, either. No harm, no foul... the only thing different is that you/we know about the event. Events in the world don't only start to happen once you are aware of them.

And saving lives/saving face is the same issue... the Thai government doesn't want an event here. There hasn't been any major international terrorist event in Thailand in almost 40 years. I doubt that this was the first attempt or operation that the Thai government has been involved with.

#3... I don't understand. Why would I or anyone have complained to the US embassy if there was a terrorist event in Thailand?

#4... You asked why no answers to you post, so I answered.

[rogera]

I should not have posted on this board. I realized I wasted my time posting after I wasted my time reading the posts. Every single post on this board is simply silly and not worth reading. Also, the news articles that spawn the discussion are, 9 times out of 10, misinformed and contain no real info. I guess I will have to stick with janes.com.

Chadfm, You are quite right, of course. The futility of this debate is that too many posters allow their, sometimes, extreme prejudices to color their arguments with the result that they leave their credibility in the dust. Additionally, some people become angry in their responses and also lose their objectivity in their arguments. This completely destroys the debate and renders it completely pointless.

[Jingthing]

I should not have posted on this board. I realized I wasted my time posting after I wasted my time reading the posts. Every single post on this board is simply silly and not worth reading. Also, the news articles that spawn the discussion are, 9 times out of 10, misinformed and contain no real info. I guess I will have to stick with janes.com.

Nice attempt at website promotion. Full marks!

[xthAi76s]

I should not have posted on this board. I realized I wasted my time posting after I wasted my time reading the posts. Every single post on this board is simply silly and not worth reading. Also, the news articles that spawn the discussion are, 9 times out of 10, misinformed and contain no real info. I guess I will have to stick with janes.com.

I agree that the majority of posts are ill-informed and lazy.

I also agree about the Nation news articles. They are almost always so weak as to resemble high school writing. I don't think it's a language thing, either. They are often poorly reasoned or just contain no interesting positions.

However, all that having been communicated, there are a smaller number of people on these boards who are indeed quite intelligent, can offer you informed discussion and who will argue points in a respectable, logical fashion. They are there; you just have to sift through all the junk.

Good luck

Edited January 16, 2012 by ThailandMan

[Thai at Heart]

Perhaps if the terrorist were threatening Thai people in Bangkok they would see things differently.

Let off a bomb potentially as big as they describe, and the victims would be predominantly Thai.

[Jingthing]

Perhaps if the terrorist were threatening Thai people in Bangkok they would see things differently.

Let off a bomb potentially as big as they describe, and the victims would be predominantly Thai.

Probably not hiso.