'Prank bomb' sets off panic at Samut Songkram Post Office

[webfact]

'Prank Bomb' Sets Off Panic At Samut Songkram Post Office

SAMUT SONGKRAM: -- Police in Bangkontee district, Samut Songkram, received report from post office employees in the district that a suspicious package has been found at the office. The police then dispatched bomb squad to investigate the scene.

The said package was a mail parcel containing what appeared to be C4 bomb attached to a watch, with a note saying "You will die, old bitch". Post office staff said they received the package from usual mail route.

Bomb squad officers moved the object to the back of the building, and found that the the parcel was addressed to Ms. Boonyadee (surname undisclosed), a resident of Bangkontee district.

Upon being contacted by the police, Ms. Bonnyadee said the parcel might have been sent from her friend who wanted to pull a prank on her because it′s almost her birthday. Eventually, her friend contacted the police and told them that the "bomb" was in fact an alarm clock, and he bought it from a website selling toys.

The man was fined 500 baht by the police on the ground of "causing panic".

Full story: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM01EazFNekkwTnc9PQ

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-06-12

[NongKhaiKid]

B500 fine for sending a fake bomb through the post, causing concern at the post office and requiring mobilisation of the bomb squad defies logic.

The charge of " causing panic " was appropriate but the punishment far from it. With all that's happening in the south I would have thought this would have been viewed more seriously or is it it of no consequence because " that's in the south " ?

[bobl]

B500 fine for sending a fake bomb through the post, causing concern at the post office and requiring mobilisation of the bomb squad defies logic.

The charge of " causing panic " was appropriate but the punishment far from it. With all that's happening in the south I would have thought this would have been viewed more seriously or is it it of no consequence because " that's in the south " ?

So it's the fact that the sender wasn't 'punished' more you're outraged about?

You don't ask any questions, such as how did the package get opened by someone other than the recipient in the first place?

If you haven't seen these things, they're about as realistic as an Acme device on Roadrunner. They're OBVIOUSLY a joke. A "fake" which was designed to 'cause panic' would arguably need to be far more realistic to panic anyone with half a brain.

[Bellweather]

B500 fine for sending a fake bomb through the post, causing concern at the post office and requiring mobilisation of the bomb squad defies logic.

The charge of " causing panic " was appropriate but the punishment far from it. With all that's happening in the south I would have thought this would have been viewed more seriously or is it it of no consequence because " that's in the south " ?

So it's the fact that the sender wasn't 'punished' more you're outraged about?

You don't ask any questions, such as how did the package get opened by someone other than the recipient in the first place?

If you haven't seen these things, they're about as realistic as an Acme device on Roadrunner. They're OBVIOUSLY a joke. A "fake" which was designed to 'cause panic' would arguably need to be far more realistic to panic anyone with half a brain.

They may not be realistic to someone with experience but what about the ordinary postal worker, person in the street etc. who only have that half brain.

Are you sure post offices don't have X-Ray machines ?

[bobl]

B500 fine for sending a fake bomb through the post, causing concern at the post office and requiring mobilisation of the bomb squad defies logic.

The charge of " causing panic " was appropriate but the punishment far from it. With all that's happening in the south I would have thought this would have been viewed more seriously or is it it of no consequence because " that's in the south " ?

So it's the fact that the sender wasn't 'punished' more you're outraged about?

You don't ask any questions, such as how did the package get opened by someone other than the recipient in the first place?

If you haven't seen these things, they're about as realistic as an Acme device on Roadrunner. They're OBVIOUSLY a joke. A "fake" which was designed to 'cause panic' would arguably need to be far more realistic to panic anyone with half a brain.

They may not be realistic to someone with experience but what about the ordinary postal worker, person in the street etc. who only have that half brain.

Are you sure post offices don't have X-Ray machines ?

If they have x-ray machines, are you suggesting they have people manning it that can't tell the difference between a bomb and a toy?

I think it's unlikely they have an xray machine. And I still want to know why the parcel was opened. THAT is the question the police and public should be asking.

[fakename]

I think sending bombs is a nice joke, and it keeps officials on their toes. The person that opened the package should be sent to prison for a long time, of course that would only happen in a country where the criminals have more rights, than the victims.

[belg]

i guess, in the US, the man would be on his way to guantanamo bay by now

[jacko45k]

Not sure if 'prank' and 'bomb' should be in the same sentence.....

So was it a watch or an alarm clock or what?.

[JeffreyWitty]

i guess, in the US, the man would be on his way to guantanamo bay by now

You would guess incorrectly then.

Joke gifts like this are not uncommon in the USA and post inspectors are trained to spot the difference. (but I admit, there could always be acceptions to the rule)

[pedro01]

Funny things is - on the TV, they said they'd opened it because they heard ticking.

It's a digital clock too!!!

As for this

Pol.Col. Prapas Inta, superintendent of Bangkontee police station, said that people should not tease each other with such toys because it might give wrong impression to children that real bombs might be toys.

Yes - because all children are complete idiots and we don't want them playing with all those real bombs lying about the place....