Thai Terrorists 'target Resorts' And Western Tourists

[george]

Thai terrorists 'target resorts'

BANGKOK: -- JEMAAH Islamiah-linked terrorists in southern Thailand are believed to be planning to transform their insurgency from attacks against the Thai state to bombings of Western tourists.

US terrorism expert Zachary Abuza has told The Australian that the Muslim insurgency could spread from the hinterland to beach resorts, such as Phuket, frequented by Western tourists.

Dr Abuza will tell the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok tonight there are also reasons to believe that JI may become involved in such a plan being hatched by Thai insurgents.

The two-year insurgency, which has killed more than a thousand people, has until this point been dominated by attacks against symbols of the Thai state, such as police stations, and dominant religion, such as Buddhist temples.

Attacks against Western tourists would mark a turning point in Thailand's war on terror, and Dr Abuza said the shift could be being driven by JI's sense of Islamist obligation to join battle with fellow Muslims.

"An attack on an out-of-area soft target is being considered as an option. They have not ruled it out," he said yesterday. "They would target Phuket because, like Bali, it is a soft target that would severely impact the economy and drive away foreigners in droves."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued general travel warnings for Thailand, advising travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution ... because of the high threat of terrorist attack".

"We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners," the DFAT website warns. But the threats have been more specific, with past intelligence acknowledging that the areas of Phuket, Pattong Pattaya, Bangkok and the island of Samui could be targeted.

Another terrorism expert, Rohan Gunaratna, also warned this week that terrorists were likely to attack Bangkok within the year.

Neil Fergus, the chief executive of Intelligence Risks, said tourist spots including beach resorts had been broadly considered as targets, but Bangkok remained the biggest problem.

Although security in Thailand has been dramatically improved in many areas, Mr Fergus said it would be difficult for any authority to protect expatriate and bar areas frequented by tourists.

In the past 10 days, 19 people - five of them policemen - have been killed in attacks in southern Thailand.

While a raid by militants two years ago on a weapons depot in Narathiwat province is generally regarded as the start of the Muslim insurgency, Dr Abuza said the violence had been spreading, albeit slowly, for several years.

Dr Abuza said that while Thai authorities claimed to have arrested 190 insurgents responsible for conducting or planning operations in the past two years, very few of the insurgency's leaders had been picked up.

The Government has also consistently denied the trouble is part of any international terrorist network or that JI is involved.

Dr Abuza has warned that there are insurgent leaders who want to take terrorism to the next level, and they could be helped by JI or whatever form al-Qa'ida might take, by attacking places such as Bangkok or Phuket.

-- news.com.au 2006-01-11

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One wonders where Mr Abuza gleans this information. Wasn't he the alarmist that offered wild predictions about an attack planned for the Tsunami Memorial/s ceremonies ? Keep offering advice, it might just prove true .... someday <_

[george]

Hmmm.. The problem with all these warnings in the news feed is:

- It scares tourists off

- If we don't publish them and something happens, then...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I googled him....he's been an alarmist since 9/11

[Jai Dee]

Hmmm.. The problem with all these warnings in the news feed is:

- It scares tourists off

- If we don't publish them and something happens, then...

That's probably why the Thai News Agencies don't publish them...

[lamphun]

Hmmm.. The problem with all these warnings in the news feed is:

- It scares tourists off

- If we don't publish them and something happens, then...

That's probably why the Thai News Agencies don't publish them...

Or report actual incidents.

[opothai]

unfortunately i think it is inevitable that hese animals will do something out of the ordinary. but it will not detrer me from taking my vacations.

if they moved the terrorist operations outside the south and targeted major tourist areas, the consequences of retribution taken by the thais on the muslims of the southern most region although it may seem justified will i,m afraid play right into the hands of these sick missguided, misled, brainwashed &lt;deleted&gt;.

lets just hope it never happens

[johnh101]

"An attack on an out-of-area soft target is being considered as an option. They have not ruled it out," he said yesterday.

If he is so sure then why don't the BIB get hold of him and find out who his sources are !

[LaoPo]

Hmmm.. The problem with all these warnings in the news feed is:

- It scares tourists off

- If we don't publish them and something happens, then...

Very true; the problem is WHAT extra measures can a (ANY) government put in place to avoid such an attack. The US government was warned also before the 9/11 attack...

But Thailand is indeed a 'soft' target and an attack will have a much greater impact, worldwide, than, let's say, Iraq where EVERY day countless bombings take place and thousands of people are killed. We see it every day on TV and nobody pays attention anymore, except maybe in the USA who lost already over 2.000 of their young soldiers.

LaoPo

[sonthaya]

unfortunately i think it is inevitable that hese animals will do something out of the ordinary. but it will not detrer me from taking my vacations.

if they moved the terrorist operations outside the south and targeted major tourist areas, the consequences of retribution taken by the thais on the muslims of the southern most region although it may seem justified will i,m afraid play right into the hands of these sick missguided, misled, brainwashed &lt;deleted&gt;.

lets just hope it never happens

You are right, let's hope it doesn't happen, I did notice increased security at Patong during the 2 month I spend there, like Soi Bangla the main entertainment area was closed for all cars, and I did notice police cars in both ends of the Soi, and a lot of police around, both in uniform and civilian.

Anyhow no muslim terrorist is going to run my life, I'll keep coming back and enjoy life.

[LaoPo]

unfortunately i think it is inevitable that hese animals will do something out of the ordinary. but it will not detrer me from taking my vacations.

if they moved the terrorist operations outside the south and targeted major tourist areas, the consequences of retribution taken by the thais on the muslims of the southern most region although it may seem justified will i,m afraid play right into the hands of these sick missguided, misled, brainwashed &lt;deleted&gt;.

lets just hope it never happens

You are right, let's hope it doesn't happen, I did notice increased security at Patong during the 2 month I spend there, like Soi Bangla the main entertainment area was closed for all cars, and I did notice police cars in both ends of the Soi, and a lot of police around, both in uniform and civilian.

Anyhow no muslim terrorist is going to run my life, I'll keep coming back and enjoy life.

Are there still security Police-posts on the mainroads, also coming from the airport?

LaoPo

[sonthaya]

unfortunately i think it is inevitable that hese animals will do something out of the ordinary. but it will not detrer me from taking my vacations.

if they moved the terrorist operations outside the south and targeted major tourist areas, the consequences of retribution taken by the thais on the muslims of the southern most region although it may seem justified will i,m afraid play right into the hands of these sick missguided, misled, brainwashed &lt;deleted&gt;.

lets just hope it never happens

You are right, let's hope it doesn't happen, I did notice increased security at Patong during the 2 month I spend there, like Soi Bangla the main entertainment area was closed for all cars, and I did notice police cars in both ends of the Soi, and a lot of police around, both in uniform and civilian.

Anyhow no muslim terrorist is going to run my life, I'll keep coming back and enjoy life.

Are there still security Police-posts on the mainroads, also coming from the airport?

LaoPo

I'm not sure if they still are on the airport road, but you have them when you come across the bridge from the mainland to Phuket, but they have been there for years.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

unfortunately i think it is inevitable that hese animals will do something out of the ordinary. but it will not detrer me from taking my vacations.

if they moved the terrorist operations outside the south and targeted major tourist areas, the consequences of retribution taken by the thais on the muslims of the southern most region although it may seem justified will i,m afraid play right into the hands of these sick missguided, misled, brainwashed &lt;deleted&gt;.

lets just hope it never happens

You are right, let's hope it doesn't happen, I did notice increased security at Patong during the 2 month I spend there, like Soi Bangla the main entertainment area was closed for all cars, and I did notice police cars in both ends of the Soi, and a lot of police around, both in uniform and civilian.

Anyhow no muslim terrorist is going to run my life, I'll keep coming back and enjoy life.

A great attitude

[meadish_sweetball]

Yep. I refuse to let myself be scared off. If they attack any of the above targets, that is where my next vacation will be, and I suggest everyone consider this. I reckon it'd be the greatest deterrent to any further attacks.

They should think very long and hard before they attack Western tourists. Any support or sympathy for their situation from all Western nations will be completely wasted. Violence against innocents is not the solution.

The peaceful ordinary muslims in the South also live off tourism. Destroy their livelihood and lose your base.