Thai Officials Need To Wake Up And Admit The Truth

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Officials need to wake up and admit the truth

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities cannot deny the link between blasts in Bangkok and tension between Iran and Israel, just to protect the tourist industry

Three explosions, six injured. Luckily no innocent people were killed. The American and British embassies, as well as others, have issued travel warnings. The first bomb accidentally goes off at a rented house. A bloodied Iranian who fled the house then lobs a bomb at a taxi that refuses to pick him up, then at a police car, and loses his legs in the blast. Another Iranian is arrested and his colleague is nabbed in a neighbouring country as he is about to flee on a flight back home to the Middle East.

Saeid Morati, one of the men charged, loses both legs after the bomb he hurled at police, who were in hot pursuit, bounces back off a tree and explodes in front of him. A day later, two men who rented the house where one of the explosions had gone off are charged with an alleged bomb plot against Israeli diplomats in Bangkok.

No, this is not part of a script for some cheap B movie. These incidents took place earlier this week in Bangkok, and just as amazing is the absurd response from the Thai authorities, who are trying hard to downplay the incidents for fear the international community will think negatively of Thailand.

Just a month ago, a Lebanese man, believed to be a member of Hezbollah, was charged with trying to carry out terrorist attacks in Thailand. A huge store of explosive materials was found in a warehouse he had rented.

Thai authorities looked just as absurd when they tried to play down that episode in spite of the fact that all evidence suggested Thailand could be used as a lunch pad for the Iranian-backed group to commit terrorist attacks in the region. Worse, the authorities contradicted themselves to the point many have lost faith in their ability to handle abrupt and complicated issues like terrorist plots.

This time around, it was more or less the same thing. Among the people who keep shooting themselves in the foot and not realising it was Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung.

First, he pretty much admitted that Thailand will now do profiling of inbound travellers, especially suspicious-looking foreigners. By that, he meant Middle-Easterners.

Moreover, said Chalerm: "I would like to tell everyone that Thai officials in all sectors are in control of the situation and there's nothing to be worried about."

Well, we heard the same statement last month. And then came the warehouse full of explosives and the arrest of the alleged Hezbollah member, who also holds a Swedish passport.

On top of that, Thai intelligence officials were not to blame for any of this because the suspects had entered Thailand without weapons and had built their bombs in the country, he added.

Just as pathetic was a statement from Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who dismissed the notion of terrorist activities in the country but at the same time admitted there was some similarity between the incident in Bangkok this week and assassination attempts against Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia.

No matter how the officials try to spin it, this story of clownish assassins running around Bangkok, tossing deadly explosives at taxi-drivers and police officers, does not make us feel at ease.

Israel blamed Iran for plotting the Indian attack, as well as the one in Georgia, an allegation that Tehran denies.

National Security Council Secretary-General Wichean Photephosree was correct in saying the incident in Bangkok this week was "caused by current international tensions in world politics" and that the battleground was not exclusive to Thailand but anywhere around the world.

Like other officials, Wichean was trying hard to downplay the terrorism angle by saying the bombs were not designed for mass destruction but for assassination purposes - as if this is supposed to make us feel better.

Excuse us, but two high-profile incidents involving Middle-Eastern terrorist suspects within two months should be considered a cause for concern.

What if the tables were turned and similar incidents happened in foreign cities frequented by Thai citizens? Would our diplomats and officials display the kind of selfishness we have seen this week?

-- The Nation 2012-02-17

[DoctorG]

Have to agree because, well, it is pretty much what I wrote on TVF yesterday

[BigRick]

My favorite is Iran saying its Mossad using fake passports. They are not Iranian just ask us we can prove it <Insert photoshop picture of terrorists wearing yammikas.>

[Gillespie]

Why is Chalerm shooting himself in the foot? Surely he could find someone else to do it?

[Thaddeus]

Nothing to add as this has been done to death already, except.......

Thai authorities looked just as absurd when they tried to play down that episode in spite of the fact that all evidence suggested Thailand could be used as a lunch pad

Quality typo.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Nice to see The Nation finally publicly say via editorial, in very clear and uncertain terms, what many/most of us have been saying here for the past two months....

[Unkomoncents]

Finally, an even remotely accurate editorial (hahaha "lunch pad"). The problem is: once you stop trusting someone because they lied to you (50,000 times), you don't just start trusting them again, like, EVER. These kinds of articles are like Tiger Woods' apology.

[Pib]

Unfortunately, the Thai officials are wide awake; it's just they "just don't get it!"

[airconsult]

My favorite is Iran saying its Mossad using fake passports. They are not Iranian just ask us we can prove it <Insert photoshop picture of terrorists wearing yammikas.>

And the ones fleeing to Tehran just confirms their story...... wait, you mean Tehran isn't in Israel????

[LPCustom69]

Wow, somebody gets it. Definitely agree with the editorial.

[noitom]

How about the president of the Thai Tourism Council fervently advocating that the government "clear the air" and convince the press that there was no act of terror or planning otherwise it would impact tourism. Why isn't the newspaper advocating that he relinquish his post?

[Moruya]

Let's face it, Thailand was incredibly lucky that a bunch of buffoons botched the bombings up.

Chalerm in particular has been shown once again that his mouth rules his brain.

All the government is thinking about is the loss of revenue. A distant second comes the safety of tourists and international officials.

I don't think anyone on this forum seriously believes that the government is able to prevent terrorists with bombs doing pretty much what they want as they do in the south. As we can see with drugs, the borders are so porous almost anyone and anything can get through.

[Chris Lawrence]

I don't think the Govt. would be saying too much of what they are doing, in so much as not to alert the people that they would be wanting to catch.

But what is the Nation suggesting to be done?

Maybe the people that are caught get put on the new drug policy; after 60 days just shoot them? I don't agree with the death penalty as a deterrent, but if these people want to get too 50 or so virgins, I feel we should do all in our power to help them along their way.

[SiamRose]

Well said, the Nation. Terrorist attacks can happen anywhere; New York, London and Madrid are just some examples. It does not reflect badly on Thailand that such attacks could happen here. What does reflect badly on Thailand is that politicians try and deny some thing that is obviously true and attack the US when they try and warn Thailand of the dangers.

[JohnAllan]

We all know that Thais, especially politicians, look at the bottom line first.

[soundman]

I have removed a couple of posts that are not even close to the topic at hand.

Please try to stay on topic.

[KKK]

While I agree with the headline

Officials need to wake up and admit the truth

wouldn't it have been better if it was

Officials need to wake up and stop lying

[NormanW]

Stop the world I want to get off!

[SomTumTiger]

Waiting for the government supporters on TV to come and tell us that we are misunderstanding the situation - that the government is actually doing a GREAT job of handling this. Jayboy? GK? Calgary? Lets get on board and celebrate the amazing Chalerm the Magnificent and his sock puppet PM.

[Macmundi]

"What if the tables were turned and similar incidents happened in foreign cities frequented by Thai citizens? Would our diplomats and officials display the kind of selfishness we have seen this week?"

Yes. They would.

It is not the matter of who the victims are or were. The problem lies in the diplomats and officials' competence.

[Macmundi]

While I agree with the headline

Officials need to wake up and admit the truth

wouldn't it have been better if it was

Officials need to wake up and stop lying

Officials need to WAKE UP!!. Period.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Macmundi

[phupaman]

Hi all.

have to agree with Chris Lawrence above, only thing being ,Where in Thailand do you find 50 or so virgins.

Phupaman.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Nothing to add as this has been done to death already, except.......

Thai authorities looked just as absurd when they tried to play down that episode in spite of the fact that all evidence suggested Thailand could be used as a lunch pad

Quality typo.

I dunno!!! the foods very good in Thailand - the hub of lunches.

[SICHONSTEVE]

While I agree with the headline

Officials need to wake up and admit the truth

wouldn't it have been better if it was

Officials need to wake up and stop lying

But.....if the officials stopped lying then they would have nothing to do, would they!!!!

[warfie]

While I agree with the headline

Officials need to wake up and admit the truth

wouldn't it have been better if it was

Officials need to wake up and stop lying

or even

Officials need to wake up and realise everyone knows they're lying

[SICHONSTEVE]

Finally, an even remotely accurate editorial (hahaha "lunch pad"). The problem is: once you stop trusting someone because they lied to you (50,000 times), you don't just start trusting them again, like, EVER. These kinds of articles are like Tiger Woods' apology.

Remember, Tiger only had 10 (and they were unlikely to have been virgins) - just think, that you get 50 of them and they ARE virgins. You do have to make 1 small sacrifice though.......I'm beginning to feel sorry for the unfortunate bomber that cannot chuck hand grenades though as he has missed out on the ladies and is legless into the bargain!!!!

[supaprik]

Congratulations to The Nation, good,clear factual reporting AT LAST, more of it please, I wonder how long before this news service is slammed or shut down by the idiots in power but regardless of what the Politicians have to say I think most of know at least part of the truth and look to editorials like the above to confirm this, again WELL DONE THE NATION

[bigbamboo]

To be fair it must be annoying for the Thais to have the jews and muslims fighting in their back garden and ruining the neighbourhood.

[Jingthing]

To be fair it must be annoying for the Thais to have the jews and muslims fighting in their back garden and ruining the neighbourhood.

Foul. What Jew has EVER exploded a bomb or attacked an embassy in Thailand? Name one.

[daninthai]

In the minds of many Thai politicians, assassinations are not a bad idea. They regularly use this method to get rid of enemies and competition. Why else would they want to downplay the latest incidents? It's just normal practice!