US Embassy Maintains Terror Threat Warning On Its Website

[webfact]

TERROR PLOT

US embassy maintains terror threat warning on its website

THE NATION

The US Embassy sees American citizens in Thailand still facing the threat of terrorism and will keep the warning on its website even though the Thai government is insisting that Thailand is not a target for international terrorists, a senior embassy official said yesterday.

"Nothing changes" when it comes to the perceived threats and America's need to keep its citizens informed, the high-ranking embassy source told The Nation.

However, the source would not say how long this warning - which seems to be upsetting the Yingluck government - would remain on the embassy's website.

Government leaders have been calling on the embassy to remove the warning, especially now that a foreign suspect has been arrested and a large cache of bomb-making materials discovered.

Last week, US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney tweeted that the warning was "real" and "Bangkok specific". Despite that, the source yesterday suggested that the information gathered so far was not enough to pinpoint targets or locations.

The source would not confirm if the warning was meant to push the government into being more proactive. The embassy posted the warning after some kind of notification was submitted to the Foreign Ministry a day earlier.

The police, meanwhile, are still keeping a close watch on three spots in Bangkok - Rambutri, Sukhumvit 22 and Khao San roads. "We will continue to prevent and suppress [terror attacks]," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Winai Thongsong said yesterday.

Atris Hussein, 47, was arrested last week at Suvarnabhumi Airport and is now facing charges of illegally possessing ammonia nitrate, a precursor chemical used for bomb-making.

Police believe that Hussein may have had several accomplices and the investigation is ongoing.

Six months ago, three Arab-looking men were allegedly seen going in and out of the Samut Sakhon shophouse rented by Hussein and used to keep ammonia nitrate and urea fertiliser, according to police. These men, however, are believed to have already left Thailand.

"Some Thais might have worked for Hussein, but we believe they might have not known exactly what he was up to," Winai said.

In the USEmbassyBKK Twitter account, Kenney was quoted as saying that the January 13 emergency message for US citizens remained in effect.

On January 13, the US embassy's web site alerted US citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists might be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future.

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

Deputy National Police Commissioner General Pansiri Prapawat said yesterday that police planned to question everybody who might have been in contact with Hussein.

"Our teams are investigating the case, questioning witnesses, examining and gathering evidence," he said.

Meanwhile, an informed source said that at a meeting held to follow up on the case yesterday, police officers also discussed a widely circulated suggestion that police might have placed ammonia nitrate in the shophouse.

"The reports are based on information that a police senior sergeant major had rented the same shophouse," the source said. "But local police said a policeman had rented another shophouse nearby to sell rice and had only used the place for two months."

According to the source, Hussein had rented a shophouse in Samut Sakhon for up to two years at a monthly rate of Bt15,000 and was planning to buy it for Bt6 million.

After the meeting, Pansiri, who is chief investigator, said police had acquired more information on the case but could not reveal it at this point.

Winai also revealed that police are working closely with local and international intelligence agencies.

Supreme Commander General Thanasak Patimaprakorn, meanwhile, voiced confidence that the situation relating to terrorism threat in Thailand was under control.

-- The Nation 2012-01-19

[REM]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

[Felt 35]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

No reason to wonder. The Government got warned about a possible Tsunami early morning on 24. December 2004. They choose to not warn the Andaman coastal tourist resorts due to the impact it could have on tourism if a Tsunami not should materialize.

[w11guy]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

Other governments also think they can tell other sovereign nations what to do, especially the USA.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Interesting little gem in The Nation report above. Pay attention:

The [u.S.] embassy posted the warning after some kind of notification was submitted to the Foreign Ministry a day earlier.

The Thai government has been bitching that the U.S. posted the public warning without notifying them first.... But I haven't seen the U.S. officials specifically respond to that particular notification claim since the issue first arose...

The report above would suggest the U.S. did make some kind of notification. And frankly, that certainly would be the normal kind of diplomatic protocol that would be followed except in some kind of urgent or unusual situation.

Perhaps the FM officials were too busy sending memos back and forth to Dubai to pay attention to an incoming memo from the U.S. Embassy.

And perhaps the U.S. is keeping mum of the subject, because they don't want to publicly accuse the Thai government of telling falsies -- in the midst of presumably trying to get them to deal seriously with a case of potential/alleged terrorism.

[erobando]

The cat's out of the bag now so I don't think it matters if the US maintains their warning.

But does everyone criticizing the Thai government ever stop to think that it's a lot easy to conduct an investigation if it is not public?

Materials that might possibly be used to eventually make a bomb is not an immediate threat... it's a potential future threat.

Maybe Thai government wanted to track the people involved so that they find out more everyone involved, more details about what's going. It's a lot more difficut now that everyone knows about it.

Looks like Uncle Sam dropped the ball on this one.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Rather, it seems the Thai authorities who were informed about the plot long before anything became public managed to lose track of the other suspects in the case....apart from Hussein -- long before the U.S. Embassy warning went public.

By the time that happened, the Thais were claiming they thought the other suspects had already fled the country... Who knows if that's in fact true or not.... The Thai authorities had lots of time beforehand...but they didn't seem to accomplish much with it... until the U.S. lit a fire under them.

In all likelihood, that's the only reason there IS a ball....

Edited January 19, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[gl555]

The cat's out of the bag now so I don't think it matters if the US maintains their warning.

But does everyone criticizing the Thai government ever stop to think that it's a lot easy to conduct an investigation if it is not public?

Materials that might possibly be used to eventually make a bomb is not an immediate threat... it's a potential future threat.

Maybe Thai government wanted to track the people involved so that they find out more everyone involved, more details about what's going. It's a lot more difficut now that everyone knows about it.

Looks like Uncle Sam dropped the ball on this one.

Or maybe this government is just too incompentant and incapable of conducting an investigation of this nature. It's safer for the Americans to protect their citizens by issuing the warning. This Thai government hasn't dropped the ball. They never had it.

[Galong]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

No reason to wonder. The Government got warned about a possible Tsunami early morning on 24. December 2004. They choose to not warn the Andaman coastal tourist resorts due to the impact it could have on tourism if a Tsunami not should materialize.

Honestly, do you actually realize the science behind an earthquake and a potential subsquent tsunami? NEITHER CAN BE PREDICTED!!!

Yes, there are faultlines and areas that are specifically susceptible to such events, but a warning on the 24th could NOT be accurate and thus your entire position that the government should have put fear throughout the tourist community is grossly unfounded. The Thai government is in no way guilty of being dishonest or uncaring like you seem to be suggesting.

[Galong]

The cat's out of the bag now so I don't think it matters if the US maintains their warning.

But does everyone criticizing the Thai government ever stop to think that it's a lot easy to conduct an investigation if it is not public?

Materials that might possibly be used to eventually make a bomb is not an immediate threat... it's a potential future threat.

Maybe Thai government wanted to track the people involved so that they find out more everyone involved, more details about what's going. It's a lot more difficut now that everyone knows about it.

Looks like Uncle Sam dropped the ball on this one.

Or maybe this government is just too incompentant and incapable of conducting an investigation of this nature. It's safer for the Americans to protect their citizens by issuing the warning. This Thai government hasn't dropped the ball. They never had it.

Let's be a bit more fair to the Thai government. Much of what is being claimed about this government's involvement is speculation.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Galong

[gl555]

The cat's out of the bag now so I don't think it matters if the US maintains their warning.

But does everyone criticizing the Thai government ever stop to think that it's a lot easy to conduct an investigation if it is not public?

Materials that might possibly be used to eventually make a bomb is not an immediate threat... it's a potential future threat.

Maybe Thai government wanted to track the people involved so that they find out more everyone involved, more details about what's going. It's a lot more difficut now that everyone knows about it.

Looks like Uncle Sam dropped the ball on this one.

Or maybe this government is just too incompentant and incapable of conducting an investigation of this nature. It's safer for the Americans to protect their citizens by issuing the warning. This Thai government hasn't dropped the ball. They never had it.

Let's be a bit more fair to the Thai government. Much of what is being claimed about this government's involvement is speculation.

Yes a lot of speculation on what's happening behind the scenes. Perhaps it isn't fair to slam this PT government so much. Then again, people like you have been pretty free with the anti US tirades regarding what happened also.

[ToffeEFCpower]

It must be killing the Thai authorities to see no one is listening to them or believes them.

[PingManDan]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

Your answer, "I doubt it" !!!!!! very much

[erobando]

Yes a lot of speculation on what's happening behind the scenes. Perhaps it isn't fair to slam this PT government so much. Then again, people like you have been pretty free with the anti US tirades regarding what happened also.

Yeah, what's being said publicly is mostly PR. We certainly don't have all the details.

I don't think any of us are going on anti US tirades, just giving facts.

One thing I know from my years living in New York... many terror warnings with no subsequent terrorist attacks. The one time there was an attack, there was no warning.

The dudes couldn't get anything right LOL... pretty poor track record.

[gl555]

Yes a lot of speculation on what's happening behind the scenes. Perhaps it isn't fair to slam this PT government so much. Then again, people like you have been pretty free with the anti US tirades regarding what happened also.

Yeah, what's being said publicly is mostly PR. We certainly don't have all the details.

I don't think any of us are going on anti US tirades, just giving facts.

One thing I know from my years living in New York... many terror warnings with no subsequent terrorist attacks. The one time there was an attack, there was no warning.

The dudes couldn't get anything right LOL... pretty poor track record.

Wrong. You're throwing speculations, not facts. You don't have know what's going on behind the scenes. Neither of us do. But I look at the track record of incompentance and mismanagement by this PT government before throwing judgement.

New York is New York, this is Bangkok. You may have a million terror warnings there but tell me, how many terror warnings have been issued by the US Embassy here in Bangkok before this one? I think it must have been pretty serious for them to issue this warning when they've never or seldom done it before.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9/11 was clearly a wakeup call for the U.S. as regards to domestic terrorism... And there are a lot of folks here to complain bitterly about the restrictions and various legal issues that have flowed from that terrible event...

Sometimes it takes a major event to galvanize a government to begin paying attention to a major issue... That's just the reality of government and politics...

Hopefully this year's flooding will be that kind of event for the Thai government. Hopefully the Hussein case will be that kind of event for the Thai government as regards Thailand's exposure for international terrorism...

But if history is any indicator, both will likely be short-term flashes in the pan followed by dissipation and dissolution, so the spoiled children can continue playing their games of politics and self-enrichment.

[sparebox2]

The web master must be on Chinese New year holiday.

[wxyz]

and they still have not removed it yet

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat

This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future.

http://bangkok.usemb...ncymessage.html

Thailand Country Specific Information

http://travel.state....s/cis_1040.html

[wintermute]

Why are people claiming the embassy is crying wolf when they found enough fertilizer, fuel, and explosive material to blow up several embassies?

[alexth]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

and they still have not removed it yet

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat

This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future.

http://bangkok.usemb...ncymessage.html

Thailand Country Specific Information

http://travel.state....s/cis_1040.html

And why should they? Maybe you know something more than U.S. and Israeli intelligence do?

Clearly, there were other plotters involved with the ONE guy who's been arrested?

Where are they? What's become of them? What are they doing?

[xthAi76s]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

[anterian]

"These men, however, are believed to have already left Thailand." In other words they don't know where they are. This fact alone seems a good enough reason to keep the American warning active.

[Orac]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

I assume he is alluding to the conspiracy theory that this potential terrorist attack couldn't have come at a better time for the US as it ticks all sorts of boxes.

If Thailand can be pushed to join the global war on terrorism it will strengthen their alliance with the US who have been working hard over the last couple of months on getting a number of asian-pacific nations on side as a bulwark against China. With Hezzbollahs links to Iran it also puts pressure on China due to the regional threat to join the sanctions against Iran that Tim Geitner failed to get them to sign up to a couple of weeks back. It also provides another justification for the US or Israel to attack Iran by firmly linking them in to the global terror threat.

[wxyz]

and they still have not removed it yet

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat

This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future.

http://bangkok.usemb...ncymessage.html

Thailand Country Specific Information

http://travel.state....s/cis_1040.html

And why should they? Maybe you know something more than U.S. and Israeli intelligence do?

Clearly, there were other plotters involved with the ONE guy who's been arrested?

Where are they? What's become of them? What are they doing?

relax, I am on your side and agree with you 100%, just reminding people, even if they don't want to hear it,

that it is still there and they can read it for themselves should they be so inclined

i am also fine, if they choose to be lambs led to the slaughter by the terrorist wolves, for them, ignorance is bliss

Edited January 19, 2012 by wxyz

[wxyz]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

I assume he is alluding to the conspiracy theory that this potential terrorist attack couldn't have come at a better time for the US as it ticks all sorts of boxes.

If Thailand can be pushed to join the global war on terrorism it will strengthen their alliance with the US who have been working hard over the last couple of months on getting a number of asian-pacific nations on side as a bulwark against China. With Hezzbollahs links to Iran it also puts pressure on China due to the regional threat to join the sanctions against Iran that Tim Geitner failed to get them to sign up to a couple of weeks back. It also provides another justification for the US or Israel to attack Iran by firmly linking them in to the global terror threat.

anybody that casts their lot with the hez terrorist theocracy thugs or any other totalitarian regime

deserves the future that they have set for themselves

Edited January 19, 2012 by wxyz

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

He's claiming that the US is overblowing the threat, or even creating it out of thin air, in order to cause Thailand to become a closer ally as opposed to becoming closer to China.

As if Thailand weren't 100% in line with US interests when push comes to shove as they have been totally since the end of the Japanese occupation and the installation of the - well never mind about that.

Believe me, there's no need, the Thais know better than to trust China any further than they can throw her.

Other governments also think they can tell other sovereign nations what to do, especially the USA.

Any nation can tell, few other governments can so easily expect their will to be followed - most especially on the real crunch-time issues.

Don't forget Thailand *did* send soldiers to fight in the "war on terror".

Personally I think both the US and the world would be better off if we just did our best to prevent the terrorist attacks using normal peacetime tactics and preserving our freedoms.

Losing a few thousand citizens each year would be infinitely better than giving away the fundamental rights and way of life for the 300+ millions.

Not to mention the hundreds of thousands whose lives could be saved *and* on a balanced budget if we hadn't/weren't continuing to burn through our unsustainably borrowed-from-the-future treasure. We could have a social services safety net to rival the Scandinavians *and* keep taxes low *and* truly help the rest of the world if we didn't let the corporate/ military-industrial/ intelligence .01% actually run the show.

Just my 2¢

[EvolvingApe]

Funny how the Thai government thinks they can tell another sovereign nation what to do. Makes me wonder if Thailand would warn its citizens.....

Did the Thai gov't warn it's citizens about bird flu? No, Taksin staged a meal of fried chicken on TV to dispute the fact that bird flu existed in Thailand. Same for swine flu, same for the floods. Control is far more important than safety I guess. Hope it changes soon...

[wxyz]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

He's claiming that the US is overblowing the threat, or even creating it out of thin air, in order to cause Thailand to become a closer ally as opposed to becoming closer to China.

As if Thailand weren't 100% in line with US interests when push comes to shove as they have been totally since the end of the Japanese occupation and the installation of the - well never mind about that.

Believe me, there's no need, the Thais know better than to trust China any further than they can throw her.

Other governments also think they can tell other sovereign nations what to do, especially the USA.

Any nation can tell, few other governments can so easily expect their will to be followed - most especially on the real crunch-time issues.

Don't forget Thailand *did* send soldiers to fight in the "war on terror".

Personally I think both the US and the world would be better off if we just did our best to prevent the terrorist attacks using normal peacetime tactics and preserving our freedoms.

Losing a few thousand citizens each year would be infinitely better than giving away the fundamental rights and way of life for the 300+ millions.

Not to mention the hundreds of thousands whose lives could be saved *and* on a balanced budget if we hadn't/weren't continuing to burn through our unsustainably borrowed-from-the-future treasure. We could have a social services safety net to rival the Scandinavians *and* keep taxes low *and* truly help the rest of the world if we didn't let the corporate/ military-industrial/ intelligence .01% actually run the show.

Just my 2¢

as long as it isn't you, you are ok with evil totalitarian theocracy terrorists slaughtering civilians, good one

One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. - Winston Churchill

When they came to arrest the Jews, I did not say any thing. I am not a Jew.

When they came to arrest the communists, I did not say anything. I am not a communist.

When they came to arrest the socialists, I did not say anything. I am not a socialist.

When they came to arrest the homosexuals, gypsies, mentally retarded, etc. I did not say anything, I am none of the above.

When they came to arrest me, there was no one to speak for me.

Edited January 19, 2012 by wxyz

[OZEMADE]

Looks like someone is trying very hard to convince Thailand that US is needed, just to make sure they don't make bff with China...pathetic

I don't understand; what does your comment mean?

He's claiming that the US is overblowing the threat, or even creating it out of thin air, in order to cause Thailand to become a closer ally as opposed to becoming closer to China.

As if Thailand weren't 100% in line with US interests when push comes to shove as they have been totally since the end of the Japanese occupation and the installation of the - well never mind about that.

Believe me, there's no need, the Thais know better than to trust China any further than they can throw her.

Other governments also think they can tell other sovereign nations what to do, especially the USA.

Any nation can tell, few other governments can so easily expect their will to be followed - most especially on the real crunch-time issues.

Don't forget Thailand *did* send soldiers to fight in the "war on terror".

Personally I think both the US and the world would be better off if we just did our best to prevent the terrorist attacks using normal peacetime tactics and preserving our freedoms.

Losing a few thousand citizens each year would be infinitely better than giving away the fundamental rights and way of life for the 300+ millions.

Not to mention the hundreds of thousands whose lives could be saved *and* on a balanced budget if we hadn't/weren't continuing to burn through our unsustainably borrowed-from-the-future treasure. We could have a social services safety net to rival the Scandinavians *and* keep taxes low *and* truly help the rest of the world if we didn't let the corporate/ military-industrial/ intelligence .01% actually run the show.

Just my 2¢

Thailand underground assisted the Allies during the 2nd World War. Thailand also sent troops to assist the US in the Vietnam War. They also assisted the US with fuelling and loading bombs on the B52 at Utapow during the Vietnam War. Thailand also assisted the US Navy in patrolling the sea for Pirates, to mention a few. So I would say they were on the side of the USA.