When I talk with ordinary Thais -- not bar types and not those involved in tourism related businesses -- most seem to have only the vaguest sense of world geography and little or no sense of Middle East politics.

And while there is a historical context for Japanese-Thai relations dating to WW II, that seems to have little relevance to most folks in today's era, where Japanese fashions and pop music figures and auto makers and electronics employers provide a more meaningful context to most Thais than events of 70 years ago.

An off topic post and a reply have been removed.

It's beyond me where you must meet these people who know enough about Israel to be 'anti'. I have been travelling this country and living here for many years and have yet to meet a Thai that knows where Israel is, or indeed, even knows it exists ! I often find myself being questioned about other countries by Thai's who are interested in knowing what is outside this country's borders because they are just taught so little at School about the outside World and read so little that may give them any information about the Planet in general. To meet 'many' Thai's who are 'Anti- Israel' must be a very rare occurance.

What can I say, other that I have made the acquaintance of some extremely smart, worldly, and switched-on Thais in my years here. I have one Thai friend who has visited over 70 countries as a tourist -- including both Israel and Iran.

It's beyond me where you must meet these people who know enough about Israel to be 'anti'. I have been travelling this country and living here for many years and have yet to meet a Thai that knows where Israel is, or indeed, even knows it exists ! I often find myself being questioned about other countries by Thai's who are interested in knowing what is outside this country's borders because they are just taught so little at School about the outside World and read so little that may give them any information about the Planet in general. To meet 'many' Thai's who are 'Anti- Israel' must be a very rare occurance.

What can I say, other that I have made the acquaintance of some extremely smart, worldly, and switched-on Thais in my years here. I have one Thai friend who has visited over 70 countries as a tourist -- including both Israel and Iran.

Well he wouldn't have done that on the same passport

True, he didn't.

ONE Thai is not "lots of Thais".

Edited March 7, 201214 yr by Ulysses G.

Involved can mean most anything,

from asked to go to the store for more tea,

to knowingly aiding and abetting.

The story gives squat after the title.

But it doesn't surprise.

Edited March 10, 201214 yr by Scott

There are any number of Thais -- Muslim or not -- who might be sympathetic to the bombers' cause.

Hard to picture a buddhist thai sympathetic to a Muslim cause

Why do people forget about South Thailand. I known nothing but how can one blame that on United States or Isreal?

thank you mamuel !

with all the intelligence /security in iran , and after the meeting with the iranian embassador , its a miracle that the guilty parties slipped thru tehran airport eh ??...........of course the iran gov;t were not involved ,................bah humbug !

"Involved" as regards the Thais here is kind of a vague word, and it didn't get any elaboration from the police official quoted in the article.

The Thai person (presumably) who rented the house to the Iranians that they blew up inadvertently was "involved" in the plot...to a certain extent.

But the question for that individual or any others would be... knowingly and/or with political motive... or unknowingly and/or with no motive other than perhaps earning some possibly easy money.

It will be interesting to eventually learn, perhaps, just what "involved" in this case meant.

Good post.

Involved, in some way - yes; but then they'll be diagnosed "with a psychiatric disorder that prevents (them) from controlling (their) emotions; including angry outbursts. (They'll be) asked to take 2 months off work to seek appropriate treatment.

Sorry. That verdict in the airport video thread got the best of me. That was a topper.

I will be a little nervous and uncomfortable until the police have done a thorough and complete investigation. Of course there were Thais involved. It is almost impossible for a non-Thai to do much in this country without assistance. Those people who have been here a long, long time might be OK, but for very few.

There are two options:

1. They had help from locals, who may not have known exactly what they were doing, but they were most likely breaking the law.

2. They have 'sleepers' who have been here a very long time and can interact with little notice.

These plots don't happen overnight. There are people in place to execute plans when needed.

According to a newspaper that can't be cited here, the Malaysians are not going to extradite the Iranian in custody. He will be returned to Iran. Iran has not been very forthcoming about the lady who escaped back to Iran.

Not a lot of cooperation.

An off-topic post has been deleted.

According to a newspaper that can't be cited here, the Malaysians are not going to extradite the Iranian in custody. He will be returned to Iran. Iran has not been very forthcoming about the lady who escaped back to Iran.

Not a lot of cooperation.

The Iran part hardly comes as any surprise.... The Malaysia part is interesting... Last I read, the Thais were still saying the extradition was in process... Maybe not...

As for Iran, maybe the Thais can extradite the bomber guys blown-off legs back to his home country...just in a show of good international relations.

The police are definitely involved.