Chalerm Rules Out Hezbollah's Role In Bangkok Blasts

[webfact]

Dep PM Rules Out Hezbollah's Role in BKK Blasts

BANGKOK: -- A deputy prime minister says yesterday's blast in the heart of Bangkok had nothing to do with Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobumrung said the Iranian suspects who are now under police's custody for yesterday's blast incident in Bangkok are not associated with Hezbollah group in Lebanon given the explosive type used in the crime has limited destructive power.

Chalerm went on to say it is still early to jump into conclusion whether the country will be used as a platform for anti-Israel terrorists or if yesterday's incident was linked to the bomb attacks in India and Georgia.

The deputy premier described the blasts as a small symbolic expression and he will order the immigration police to step up alien screening measures particularly on those from countries with terrorism problems.

He reiterated all related agencies are capable to handle the security situation and there is nothing to worry about.

Chalerm insisted the blast incident did not show flaws in the national intelligence system saying such an incident can take place as perpetrators always enter the country with no weapons and then seek them inside.

He said he will invite rental home and apartment owners to meet the police to ask for their cooperation on information about dubious foreign tenants.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-16

[webfact]

Thailand not terrorist target: experts

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is not a target for international terrorism but a transit point where terrorists use as a sanctuary for planning their operations, a political science lecturer said on Thursday.

Panitan Wattanayagorn of Chulalongkorn University was commenting on the Tuesday's blasts in Bangkok involving three Iranian suspects.

"The country is an open tourist destination and certain foreign visitors might come for a stagning ground to plan and stockpile arms," he said.

Police are investigating all leads in connection with the three suspects. There was a loud explosion at their rental home off Sukhumvit 71. Three three fled the scene.

One suspect threw two explosive devices at a taxi and a police patrol car, ending up injuring and losing both legs. Another was trying to flee to Malaysia before being apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The third suspect is believed to have fled to Kuala Lumpur, pending verification.

Forensic investigators found five explosive devices at the rental home. They have yet to draw conclusion about the first explosion gone off at the rental house.

PM adviser Panlop Pinmanee said the explosions were not terror attacks but indicated the stockpiling of explosives.

"What happened is not a lapse of law enforcement nor poor intelligence although the authorities might need to step up security measures," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

[DocN]

The Dark Knight is out to protect Gotham once again....and he knows it all!

[hansnl]

It is really unbelievable the nonsense this man thinks he has to tell to the world.

Hezbollah is not in this?

While knowing that hezbollah is paid for and connected to Iran?

No connection with the islamic trouble in the south?

No connection with KL?

Wake up!

Edited February 16, 2012 by hansnl

[jaapfries]

Every time this man opens his mouth, a lot of hot air comes out but very, very little sense accompanies it ! ! !

Infuriating, to say the least ! !

[nurofiend]

he's some man for a quick investigation... he's already ruled out hezbollah

[slapout]

The several tons of bomb making material (fertilizer) found earlier was for the planned rice crop to take advantage of the government rice support price, this cache of C 4 was intended for fishing in the local klongs. Now that is solved move on to the important issues facing Thailand.

[Screws]

"Chalerm went on to say it is still early to jump into conclusion"

He got one thing right. Anyone know what planet he is tweeting from?

[Joeb]

I agree that the incident was not a terrorist attack. It was a screw up followed by one of the bombers panicing and throwing bombs around to try and escape arrest. I certainly believe that the bombs were intended to be used in Thailand. The idea raised by government officials that the follow on activity would not be a terrorist act because it would be targeted at an individual is nonsense. Suppose it blows up, under a car, while that car is at the side of a road full of pedestrians. How many people could be killed or injured?

The thing that upsets me the most is the attitude, in this incident and the one a couple of weeks ago, that Thailand will not have terror attacks, it is just being used as a transit point and a place to build bombs. There has been no public statement by a government official that seems to show any concern for the potential victims of bombs made in Thailand.

[Time Traveller]

Don't worry Tourists. Thailand is not a terrorist target, it's only the foreigners in Thailand that the terrorists are trying to kill.

[Lingba]

It appears to me that this hot air coming out of Chalerms mouth is an attempt to protect the tourist industry...and I did say "attempt"...other than that I wouldn't take for anything more than face value

[chinook]

Maybe the press misquoted Chalerm if he was sitting down when he made the statement, as this tends to muffle his voice somewhat.

[BudM]

"a small symbolic expression "?

Boy, I hate to see the BIG symbolic expression!

It is getting better everyday and they cannot write a better script than this for this Chalerm guy.

[Jingthing]

In these cases, both the Israeli murders of the scientists and the Iranian attempts on Israeli diplomats I think the kerfuffle of whether these kinds of targeted acts are terrorism or not is overblown. If Israeli and Iran were ALREADY fully at war, wouldn't both just be seen as acts of war? Are they already at war? I think, kind of, sort of, they already are.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[BigRick]

This guy is the modern Thai version of Sherlock Holmes he needs to start an international crime fighting organization they could solve every crime in the world in a year.

[pisico]

Iranians renting a house, a bomb explodes, C4, magnets and other bomb making paraphernalia, 2 more bombs go off but, those are things that can happen anywhere: it's not terrorism or political assassination.

Wish it and it will happen. Close your eyes tightly and repeat: "It is not terrorism. We are friendly to every one. Hezbollah, Palestinians and Hamaz are peaceful friends..."

The sooner India, China, Russia and Thailand realize that all of them are infidels, in the eyes of Islam, the better for them.

Edited February 16, 2012 by pisico

[gemini81]

Chalerm has as much knowledge about this case and the motives as he does about following buddhism, economics, and foreign policy: zero.

At least its amusing to see him stick his foot in his mouth every time he opens his trap.

[gemini81]

This guy is the modern Thai version of Sherlock Holmes he needs to start an international crime fighting organization they could solve every crime in the world in a year.

Sherlock would turn in his grave at that comparison, he was actually smart in the novels. Whereas Chalerm couldn't think his way out of a wet paper bag. He appears to be good only in the areas of propaganda and cheating/cunningness (I think we know his mentor too!)

[supaprik]

"Chalerm went on to say it is still early to jump into conclusion" How does one do this?

conclusion: when a statement or question comes to an answer; when an idea or thought is settled.

Only one thing needs to jump and that is this imbecile of man.....

[kirk0233]

"The country is an open tourist destination and certain foreign visitors might come for a stagning ground to plan and stockpile arms," he said.

PM adviser Panlop Pinmanee said the explosions were not terror attacks but indicated the stockpiling of explosives.

"What happened is not a lapse of law enforcement nor poor intelligence although the authorities might need to step up security measures," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

This all good for tourism? It is not a lapse of law enforcement when it is admitted that the nation is a staging ground for the stockpiling of arms? The symbolic act Chalerm spoke of makes me wonder... bombs exploding is a metaphor for what?

[RichinThailand]

This guy is completely crazy...why would any government let him speak?????

[Ricardo]

Don't worry Tourists. Thailand is not a terrorist target, it's only the foreigners in Thailand that the terrorists are trying to kill.

And people who ride in Thai-taxis, which fail to stop for terrorists, and also Thai police-cars, plus anyone else who gets in-the-way of the "small symbolic expression" when it explodes.

[MrJohnson]

I've said this in other threads and I will say it again. Thailand is a haven for all sorts of criminals, terrorists and other miscreants. While ever the enforcement of the rule of law is ignored and the Thais adopt the 'one eye open, one eye closed' policy these kinds of incidents will continue to occur. Bangkok remains the best place in the world to get a fake passport (Sukhumvit Soi 3 - 7) just so you all know where to go, one of the easiest drug transport hubs and the best place to just hide out if you are on the run. Lumpini police could park 4-5 50 seater buses at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 5 and fill in a matter of minutes with overstayers. Likewise could be done in Pattaya I would say. Crims on the run - well that's another matter entirely. 'Nuff said. I'm off to get a new passport and have a plate of houmos and some nan bread while I wait.

[webfact]

Expert Believes Thailand is a Transit Point for Terrorist Groups

BANGKOK: -- A political expert claims Thailand is not targeted by international terrorist groups, but is merely a transit point. The government is urged to rebuild tourist confidence by giving the public the facts.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, a member of Political Faculty at Chulalongkorn University, believes Thailand is not being targeted by international terrorists.

He claims that since Thailand is a top tourist destination, many foreigners, including those linked with various terrorist organizations, may be using the country as a transit point to conduct activities or gather weapons.

Panitan urges the Foreign Ministry to explain the situation to the 12 countries that have issued travel warnings against Thailand at this time. At the same time, the Thai government must step up its effort to ensure the security for foreigners and Thai citizens.

The political expert states that Thailand still enjoys a good relationship with Iran and Israel, which have been implicated in the recent bombing incident.

Panitan stresses that the government needs to be honest with the public to regain the international community's trust in Thailand. If possible, a press conference should be held on the arrests of suspects.

At the same time, President of The Association of Domestic Travel Mairat Peerayarnkoset, pointed out that the incident has severely shaken the tourists' confidence in Thailand.

However, she has offered praise to the Foreign Ministry for reacting quickly by clarifying the situation to the international diplomats.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-16

[HeavyDrinker]

I've said this in other threads and I will say it again. Thailand is a haven for all sorts of criminals, terrorists and other miscreants. While ever the enforcement of the rule of law is ignored and the Thais adopt the 'one eye open, one eye closed' policy these kinds of incidents will continue to occur. Bangkok remains the best place in the world to get a fake passport (Sukhumvit Soi 3 - 7) just so you all know where to go, one of the easiest drug transport hubs and the best place to just hide out if you are on the run. Lumpini police could park 4-5 50 seater buses at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 5 and fill in a matter of minutes with overstayers. Likewise could be done in Pattaya I would say. Crims on the run - well that's another matter entirely. 'Nuff said. I'm off to get a new passport and have a plate of houmos and some nan bread while I wait.

What claptrap!

[AZBill]

The problem with idiots is that they always assume the rest of us are as stupid as them. It must be a requirement that all Thai politicians be dropped on their heads!

[whybother]

The government is urged to rebuild tourist confidence by giving the public the facts.

[tragickingdom]

Chalerm should not be taken on face value. It is deeply troubling that a man who is do deeply involved in criminal activities himself or through his family members can become Deputy Prime Minister and even minister of the Justice department. It is as bizarre as Vattana becoming one in 1999.

Chalerm has no clue about the truth or the situation in which Thailand is in. It seems that both ends of the spectrum (Pheua Thai and the Democrat Party) do not give a rats ass about Thailand. It is all about individuals and their cronies.

The complete political and economical elite should be rounded up and looked up or a decade, maybe that will give Thailand the opportunity to clean house. Nobody is trustworthy in thailand, there is no general, no minister, no opposition leader that will ever speak the truth and that is a pretty sad conclusion.

[x5david]

Maybe the press misquoted Chalerm if he was sitting down when he made the statement, as this tends to muffle his voice somewhat.

That or the voice was muffled with that big foot that always inserted in his mouth. Can't believe media bother to publish what this twit says, he only makes matters worse.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The level of doubletalk being thrown out by the various govt. officials and related folks here is truly breathtaking....

There's absolutely no indication in the latest case that these guys were transiting anywhere... To the contrary, all indications thus far are their target or targets were INSIDE Thailand. But supposedly perhaps they weren't trying to kill Thais... so nevermind about that.

And no, of course the latest case doesn't show any weaknesses or flaws in Thailand's law enforcement and intelligence systems...

Why shouldn't three Iranian guys be able to travel to Thailand, set up a bomb making operation in a BKK house, and allegedly target foreign diplomats for killing without attracting any notice until they accidentally explode themselves? After all, Thailand is friendly to everyone.

But worst of all is this real fact: a lot of Thai people read and hear this B.S. stuff reported in the Thai local media, and believe it... Scary!

Edited February 16, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK