US Lifts Terror Alert In Thailand: Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

[webfact]

Foreign Affairs Ministry: U.S. lifts terror alert in Thailand

BANGKOK, 4 February 2012 (NNT) – The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that the United States revoked the terrorism alert in Thailand. Nine countries still warn their citizens of possible terrorist attacks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday met with the ambassadors of more than 40 countries to explain the terror alert issued by the United States on 13 January. Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he had ensured the envoys that Thailand was not negligent in tackling possible violence. More stringent security measures will be urgently implemented to restore confidence, he added.

A Lebanese suspect alleged of being a member of Hezbollah was arrested in Bangkok on the same day that the U.S. first issued the warning. The U.S. is among the ten countries that revoked the terror alert; the others include China, Israel, Greece, Germany, France, Norway, Brazil, the Netherlands and Denmark. The nine countries which have not yet lifted their warnings include the U.K., Australia, Austria, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Romania and Canada. Japan said it needed official confirmation from Thailand before deciding whether to cancel the terror alert.

The permanent secretary urged the nine countries to reconsider their travel advisories based on the current situation in Thailand and the Thai government’s handling of the matter.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Australia is preparing to revoke the alert while the U.K. has made clear that it cannot do so since the warning is aimed at informing citizens.

-- NNT 2012-02-04

[webfact]

Nine nations urged to lift travel warning

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry yesterday called on nine countries to lift their travel warnings about terror threats in Thailand.

Britain, Australia, Austria, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Romania and Canada are still warning their citizens to be careful when visiting Thailand.

"We hope the travel advisories will be adjusted to reflect the current situation," the ministry's permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.

Earlier this year, what was believed to be a terror threat in Thailand prompted many countries to issue travel advisories. Thai authorities have already arrested Atris Hussein, believed to be a member of Hezbollah, for the unauthorised possession of chemicals that can be used to make bombs.

Sihasak said the Foreign Ministry had yesterday informed ambassadors that Thai authorities had already taken measures needed to remove any concerns about a terror attack.

Police said investigation into Hussein's case is ongoing but refused to disclose any details.

-- The Nation 2012-02-04

[Galong]

This fear mongering is all clearly explained in the BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares", see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lByw7kvS0

This is well worth watching and demonstrates WHY governments act the way they do. I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

[Scott]

Nonsense post and replies deleted.

[nikkoid66]

hahaha, farang stay home. Too many tourists in Thailand.

[whybother]

The alert is still on the US embassy website. Nothing about the alert being removed.

[upena]

Still on the American Embassy web site. - http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/embassy/wwc/recent.html

[anterian]

I think it is as much the situation in the south as external threats which keeps these warnings valid.

[LeeCraker]

Wrong, it is still in effect.

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/011312emergencymessage.html

[falangjim]

This fear mongering is all clearly explained in the BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares", see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lByw7kvS0

This is well worth watching and demonstrates WHY governments act the way they do. I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

Kotb sounds like a real Egyptian loser. Interesting video. Thanks for posting.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

This fear mongering is all clearly explained in the BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares", see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lByw7kvS0

This is well worth watching and demonstrates WHY governments act the way they do. I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

Excellent documentary, IMO pretty interesting cultural analysis.

I personally think that the societies of "liberal western democratic" countries would be much better off if they just ignored the threat of terrorism and just accepted a few thousand extra deaths each year.

I realize that's an extreme position, and in fact think that the military and intelligence/security should do what they can to prevent such tragedies - but **only within** the traditional limitations to government power preserving individual citizens' freedoms.

The increase of the former at the expense of the latter, combined with the effects of a fearful "always wartime" atmosphere are to me much too high a price to pay for preventing what is after all a relatively small number of deaths.

We accept so many deaths every year from our use of the automobile, alcohol and tobacco etc etc far vaster than a dozen Al Qaeda's could ever inflict even if we kept our sacred principles of freedom and privacy intact.

> I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

+1

[finnomick1]

Thank you so very much america !

[vincentc]

The threats in the South are nothing new and have been there for a while.

This whole scare about alleged Lebanese Terrorists coincides with Thailand recognising a Palestinian state on January 18th.

Looks like Thailand had to pay for this by getting a hit on tourism revenues, I mean, look at the countries that issued the alert and their affiliations.

[webfact]

Phuket update: US lifts terror alert

Phuket Gazette

Police in Bangkok load onto a truck inflammable materials found in a shophouse and linked to suspected terrorist Atris Hussein. News of Hussein's arrest earlier this month caused many embassies to issue terrorist alerts for Bangkok which have hurt the Phuket tourism industry. Photo: The Nation.

PHUKET: -- Good news for the Phuket tourism industry has come with the US warning of a possible terrorist threat in Bangkok having been removed from its website, where it had been on the main page.

The warning was replaced with a more general alert for East Asia. The new warning does not name any specific countries or places, but 14 other countries still have either travel advisories or alerts for Thailand.

Thani Thongphakdi, Director-General of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Information, described the removal as a positive development.

Austria, Norway and Brazil have also revised travel advisories and alerts for Thailand in a positive way, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

The Ministry has asked the remaining countries to reconsider their travel advisories based on the current situation in Thailand and the Thai government’s handling of the matter.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle12206.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-02-04

[whybother]

Good news for the Phuket tourism industry has come with the US warning of a possible terrorist threat in Bangkok having been removed from its website, where it had been on the main page.

They must be looking at a different website than I am.

[antipodesant]

at least the 'Poms' have not been sucked in

[Patong Bob]

Don't expect Australia to lift its travel advisory. I think it has a warning on every country in the world.

[swerver]

Difficult to keep track of all the Lapdogs America has, but good to learn that

US lifts terror alert in Thailand. What would Thailand do without Americans holding Thailand’s hand? Answer: Thailand would be up shit creek without a peddle. So tonight after many nights can go to sleep in bed instead of sitting on front porch with blowgun looking out for terrorist(s) doing belly crawl through the scrub around the place.

Thank you US President Obama and Attorney General Eric H. Holden, Jr. for taking so good care of the citizens of the world. I wonder how the world ever made it this far before you two came along to run the world, into the ground that is.

[FrankieDimes]

I believe too much is being made out of the terrorist warning. In the state that the world is in now, we all need to be vigilant and alert where ever we are. Whether you are home or abroad, the city you are in could be a possible terrorist target, especially a city known to cater to international tourist.

[Ricardo]

at least the 'Poms' have not been sucked in

Whitehall mandarin ... "We've set up a Study-Group, Minister, and appropriate-warnings will be issued in the fullness of time, when the situation is judged to warrant it, and after proper consideration of alternative options"

Minister ... "But when exactly will that be ?"

Civil-Servant ... "About 2 months after the first bomb goes off, is our current projection"

[PingManDan]

hahaha, farang stay home. Too many tourists in Thailand.

If the farangs stayed home as you put it, Thailand would be in real trouble financially, since they rely so heavily on tourist $ if you do not farangs then maybe you ought to go down to the far south and join up in the army to take out your anger.he radicals there.

[Phatcharanan]

Don't expect Australia to lift its travel advisory. I think it has a warning on every country in the world.

[rodus]

This fear mongering is all clearly explained in the BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares",

This is well worth watching and demonstrates WHY governments act the way they do. I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

An excellent documentary. Thanks for posting.

As much as I agree with most of the conclusions drawn in the documentary, I believe that the citizens of any western country expect their government to alert them to any potential problems that could be associated with travel to another zone. That's not scare mongering; just a good-ol' words of caution. The citizen can then choose to ignore it if he/she desires. Had the gov been aware of some threat but not posted a warning & then some citizens were killed or harmed, I'm sure there'd be considerable castigation of the gov. The gov is often then expected to rescue the victims, & at whose cost? Can't blame them for trying to avoid these negative effects.

[xthAi76s]

This fear mongering is all clearly explained in the BBC documentary "The Power of Nightmares", see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lByw7kvS0

This is well worth watching and demonstrates WHY governments act the way they do. I, for one, refuse to live in fear.

It's not fear mongering if the threat is validated by way of having captured criminals who'd planned attacks.

[xthAi76s]

Difficult to keep track of all the Lapdogs America has, but good to learn that

US lifts terror alert in Thailand. What would Thailand do without Americans holding Thailand’s hand? Answer: Thailand would be up shit creek without a peddle. So tonight after many nights can go to sleep in bed instead of sitting on front porch with blowgun looking out for terrorist(s) doing belly crawl through the scrub around the place.

Thank you US President Obama and Attorney General Eric H. Holden, Jr. for taking so good care of the citizens of the world. I wonder how the world ever made it this far before you two came along to run the world, into the ground that is.

Huh? I'm trying to understand what you've written, but it's unintelligible to me. Can you clarify it?

Thanks

[BwindiBoy]

To the headline writers...

The Germans make good lifts, so I'd recommend using them...or the stairs, thus avoiding the terror of using US lifts...

[surangw]

If there is an "incident" they will be among the first to take the heat for not keeping an alert going.

[noitom]

The Thais have "assured" the foreign ministers that they have taken "measures" and can assure no problems. These meetings with foreign ministers seem to be a preposterous waste of time. It's a certainty that the Thais have no credibility in any "promises" and assurances" that they have ever make. They must take the foreign ministers for fools as well as the readership of this newspaper, the constituency that these news bites are aimed at.

[jerrysteve]

People have more to fear from their own governements that any other governements; unfortunately.

[KeyserSoze01]

"Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders." - Sloan Wilson