PHUKET
Truck tied to bomb probe
The Nation



Insurgent group blamed; four victims still in intensive care

BANGKOK: -- SUNDAY'S vehicle-bomb attacks in Songkhla have placed the spotlight on the recent discovery of a suspicious pickup truck in a favourite tourist destination, Phuket.

Police at the Muang Phuket Police Station noticed the pickup on December 20 but, despite their repeated announcements, no one came forward to claim ownership to the vehicle.

Further inspection also showed the truck had two 15kg cooking-gas cylinders inside its extended cab.

Colonel Pramote Phrom-in, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Region 4 Forward Command, yesterday revealed that the suspicious pickup had disappeared since its owner was killed in Pattani's Sai Buri district seven months ago. "We are looking into this case," he said.

Pramote said the car used to stage the explosion near the Oliver Hotel in Songkhla on Sunday was also a stolen vehicle.

"This car is linked to another armed and fatal robbery, which happened in Pattani's Nong Chik district," he said.

He said with this link, it was very likely that the bombers might have had a connection with the group led by Seri Waemamu.

Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) spokesman Colonel Banphot Poonpien said three bomb attacks erupted in Songkhla's Sadao district on Sunday. Sadao, a vibrant economic centre, is not under the Internal Security Act.

"But we've received some tips-off before that some violent perpetrators have planned to carry out attacks in community and economic zones," Banphot said.

The three blasts injured 27 people on Sunday.

While Isoc refrained from narrowing down the list of possible motives behind the attack, Provincial Police Region 9 commissioner Lt-General Pisit Pisuthsak insisted that available evidence was solid enough to link Sunday's attacks in Songkhla's Sadao district to insurgents.

Thailand's southernmost region has been struggling with unrest for about one decade.

Songklanagarind Hospital's director Dr Chit Petpichetchian said a total of 12 bomb-attack victims were sent to his hospital.

Of them, 11 sustained serious injuries.

"Four victims are in intensive care units. One of them needs brain surgery," Chit said.

Songkhla Governor Krissada Boonraj said all victims of the blasts would receive compensation in line with the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre's regulations.

"In event of serious injury, the compensation is set at Bt50,000," he said.

He added that owners of damaged property could also register for compensation.

Pisit said the investigation into Sunday's bomb blasts was progressing well and police had already received recordings from security cameras.

A source said police had suspected that at least five men were involved in staging the bomb attacks.

Pramote said the chief of the 4th Army Area had instructed all special taskforces in the deep South to strictly enforce security measures and prepare safety plans for the upcoming New Year holidays.

"There will be many tourists during the period," he said.

However, Panu Woramit, who heads the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Songkhla Office, revealed that the blasts had already had serious impacts on local tourism.

"More than 50 per cent of room reservations in Hat Yai and Sadao districts of Songkhla have been cancelled," he said.

He said his office was now trying to boost tourists' confidence in a bid to stimulate tourism during the upcoming New Year season.

"We will promote New Year celebrations and events," he said.

Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association, said the bomb blasts on Sunday had hurt the tourism climate in the province.

"Malaysian news outlets have reported the incidents too," he said.

Somchart said Sadao in fact had been free from violent incidents during the past decade.

"So, its security measures might not be as strict as those enforced in Hat Yai area," he said.

He said that from now on, all relevant parties in Songkhla's Hat Yai district would need to step up security.


-- The Nation 2013-12-24

Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.

Moving up the line to Phuket. Thailand appears to be a high risk terrorist risk. Even the scan news that we get about the south would suggest that there is a serious problem in the Thai south. Can you imagine if we got all the facts?

I have been posting news reports on this in my facebook page, and it has been getting shared. I always accompany it with the sentence 'What the British Foreign Office is hiding from you while thousands of Brits flock to Phuket for the Xmas break!'

It gets a lot of comments, especially about the fact that they are NOT being told this.

In fact I will post a link to this thread.

The first reply to this thread sums it up from Ericberg

'Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.'

Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.

You mean like, keep things quiet and lure innocent tourists into death traps ?

Guess you must be part of the Thai government.

Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.

You mean like, keep things quiet and lure innocent tourists into death traps ?

Guess you must be part of the Thai government.

I think he was being facetious... (if that's how it's spelled)

Must be the southern folks coming up to join the protest bring a little extra with them.

Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.

You mean like, keep things quiet and lure innocent tourists into death traps ?

Guess you must be part of the Thai government.

Lure no no, then someone could be blamed, more like when the Government know about the Tsunami two hour before it struck the Andaman Coast in 2004 but avoided to warn people because of the impact it could have on the tourism industry if the alarm was false.

My personal belief is the political turmoil does not affect tourism in Thailand very much. As I wander around

the bars and markets they appear do be doing brisk business and the TAT is reporting arrivals matching last years

numbers, just not nearly the projected numbers. However a terrorist event that causes casualties among

tourists will cause numbers to plummet.

Must be the southern folks coming up to join the protest bring a little extra with them.

Evidence please.

Best not report much about this in the press. Tourism will be hit hard when the terrorists target Phuket.

You mean like, keep things quiet and lure innocent tourists into death traps ?

Guess you must be part of the Thai government.

lol, am not part of any government. Yet much publicity for it will encourage youngsters a bit more to desire martyrdom.