Car Bomb in Samui

[seedy]

Two Troll / Flaming post removed

[Fat Haggis]

Wife just told me that the Co-op that was targeted in Suratthani was owned by Suthep so I can see the link there...but why Central?

A lot of Thais on social media are blaming this one on Red Shirts/Thaksin.

By their logic:

- car was falsely registered in Chonburi, parts of which are a UDD stronghold.

- car originated in Yala. Bomb part suppliers to the Nonthaburi UDD bomber who blew himself up were from Yala.

- April 10, 5 years ago... the day that the RTA responded to a UDD attack on their 1st Army Barracks with the clearance operation at Khok Wua intersection, where the Black Shirts first showed up and 25+ got killed.

- The warehouse in Surat belonged to Suthep.

- Central Festival represents the elite.

- As the bomb was planted underground in the parking lot, it was not meant to cause death as much as to send a message of discontent. This supports the argument that the bomb was not planted by Islamist insurgents.

In a way I hope they are right... we don't want the Islamist insurgency involved in tourist areas. Red Shirts on the other hand, well, their record of blowing up things where they don't live is well documented.

Still, though, could be anything, including a false flag operation.

Why would the red shirts go all the way to Samui? They could put such a device in any city car park they could, why not Patong/Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai or any other major tourist location ?

Makes no sense to detonate/plant this in Samui. This is another convenient way to justify article 44, the same thing happened after thenBangkok incident incident after trying to justify Martial Law remaining.

There is a strong resentment towards the Junta after the army admitted error in killing the 4 guys in the south, tensions and resentment are running high.

Keep an open mind, people sometimes they only see what they want to see, and literally the red mist descends and clouds their thoughts!!

Samui seems quite a natural target for the Red Shirts to me. Suthep said he'd retire there, his son is supposedly investing in large swathes of coconut land in the middle of the island, and in PAD's heyday there were large rallies there with speakers asking gas station attendants not to sell fuel to vehicles with Udon Thani number plates. And besides, Phuket had the highest concentration of Peua Thai voters in the South (30%, significantly higher than any other province), Chiang Mai and Pattaya are full of Red Shirts and businesses that support them, Hua Hin could be seen as an attack on the monarchy (there is only a small minority of UDD members who are anti-monarchy).

Still, you're right - we should keep an open mind. It could be the UDD (as I will openly say I suspect), it could be the army justifying martial Law/article 44, it could even be the PDRC. But I think blaming on the Deep South insurgency before any facts come out (as the BBC did) is premature and irresponsible, especially given that this bomb wasn't intended to cause loss of life (as is the insurgents' MO).

Apart from suthep not being there, the Reds know where Suthep and all the other Cheerleaders of the PDRC live, when is the last time Chitpas was targeted by that 7% hell bent on destruction?

They know where all the senior Police and Military live. All the Dems too, they could do serious damage IF there is any truth to their capabilities, which I seriously doubt they have.

Former Army Generals in their ranks and they throw grenades into empty courthouses, pipe bombs behind pillars, car bombs in car parks? They are rank amateurs whn it comes to real terrorism, take a look at the tactics in the Middle East and start making comparison.

This is supposed to be an organisation that many on TVF have stated that they killed their own people in the Temple and on the streets on Bangkok in 2010, if they are willing to do that, they have not a single issue with detonating car bombs Anyhere in Thialand!!!!

[sambum]

Pumpin area of Surathani. It's all over the TV at the moment.

What - 2 bombs - one in Surat and one on Samui?

This is really crazy - all that stuff in the south has forever been about Muslims asking for the right to follow their religion in schools where not even one teacher was Buddhist.

Dozens of schools where there were all Muslim staff and children but they had to have Buddhist rites because this was Thailand.

How does that translate to car bombs on Samui and in Surat Thani?

R

I am not religious, but how do you know Muslims were responsible?

[anon4546543]

I would like several questions answered if you can spare the time. I understand there is violence in the south. On a visit to Malaysia, I was told they are mostly Shiite. I was told that the land in the south of Thailand is mostly Sunni. Is this true? My next question is more speculative. Who is placing the bombs and what is the purpose of killing innocent civilians. Who, why and how. Lastly, is there a solution to stop bombing and start talking and make solutions.

[Absolut]

This could well be disastrous for the tourist industry, if this gets plenty of coverage from the international press then people will stay away.

Thailand has plenty to pull in visitors but as soon as its perceived to be unsafe its game over. I'm surprised it's tucked away in the local forum, this is huge news.

Right now it is already all around the world.

I don't doubt, news like this spreads fast but to add to my previous post about Thailand making international headlines. On the Aus Google news I had to dig for it, a deliberate search came up with it, it was not headlined at all. Odd.

No mention of it whatsoever on commercial news nightly 6pm bulletin (Ch7 Sydney) but there was a story with video on ABC national news 6:30pm at the 10 minute mark so it's certainly been seen on an international scale.

[wandasloan]

I would like several questions answered if you can spare the time. I understand there is violence in the south. On a visit to Malaysia, I was told they are mostly Shiite. I was told that the land in the south of Thailand is mostly Sunni. Is this true?

No. You were told nonsense. Thais in the deep South are almost all Sunni, as are Thai Muslims everywhere. Further. The conflict is NOT Muslim-related. It is ethnic, not religious. Re-evaluate those people in Malaysia. They are not your friends.

My next question is more speculative. Who is placing the bombs and what is the purpose of killing innocent civilians. Who, why and how.

How is pretty simple, every incident is well explained, such as this explosive inside a pickup truck. Who and why are questions the very highest military security forces are asking, and they also don't know. Of all the places to look for the answers to "who and why", this forum is the very worst, bar none.

Lastly, is there a solution to stop bombing and start talking and make solutions.

Of course. Here's the link. Click here for what is needed to stop bombing and start talking and make solutions

[lemonjelly]

So, they blew up Lee Gardens to get a mention on local radio.....

I'm certain they also couldn't care less about getting a mention on local radio, for Lee Gardens, the attempt to assassinate the high institution in the 1970s, the 54 known beheadings in recent years - or any of it.

But do go on if you have any primary-source information about why these people blow up things in the South. Or kill or terrorise or decapitate or burn. You know, opinions are worth what you pay for a click on the home, here, of The Official Thai Visa Anti-Terrorism Squad.

But do you have actual information about it? Because I've never seen or heard an authoritative voice say they are after "mentions" of any type on their violence. I'm unaware of a single tract, interview, broadcast, banner or even town meeting where they "mentioned" their violence.

You are certainly welcome to your OPINION about whether they are attention seekers when they kill and maim and blow things up, but you are not entitled to claim this as Truth. It's my opinion they are not after any mentions at all. They have a political and paramilitary programme that they have relentlessly pursued for decades, and it has never included propaganda emphasising their violence. Even when Gadhafi and then the Ayatollahs were bankrolling them, they never brought up the violence.

To say that they do these violent things to get a mention of any kind is nothing but mind-reading and transference. Until you reveal yourself as a spokesperson for one of these gangs, or produce some source material, you only have a personal opinion, and it's not enlightened.

.

so, when they carry out these atrocoties, it's not to get any form of attention......... sure...whatever..... In my OPINION... they do aim to get attention.... or you think they just like the sound of loud bangs and screams?

[wandasloan]

So, they blew up Lee Gardens to get a mention on local radio.....

I'm certain they also couldn't care less about getting a mention on local radio, for Lee Gardens, the attempt to assassinate the high institution in the 1970s, the 54 known beheadings in recent years - or any of it.

But do go on if you have any primary-source information about why these people blow up things in the South. Or kill or terrorise or decapitate or burn. You know, opinions are worth what you pay for a click on the home, here, of The Official Thai Visa Anti-Terrorism Squad.

But do you have actual information about it? Because I've never seen or heard an authoritative voice say they are after "mentions" of any type on their violence. I'm unaware of a single tract, interview, broadcast, banner or even town meeting where they "mentioned" their violence.

You are certainly welcome to your OPINION about whether they are attention seekers when they kill and maim and blow things up, but you are not entitled to claim this as Truth. It's my opinion they are not after any mentions at all. They have a political and paramilitary programme that they have relentlessly pursued for decades, and it has never included propaganda emphasising their violence. Even when Gadhafi and then the Ayatollahs were bankrolling them, they never brought up the violence.

To say that they do these violent things to get a mention of any kind is nothing but mind-reading and transference. Until you reveal yourself as a spokesperson for one of these gangs, or produce some source material, you only have a personal opinion, and it's not enlightened.

.

so, when they carry out these atrocoties, it's not to get any form of attention......... sure...whatever..... In my OPINION... they do aim to get attention.... or you think they just like the sound of loud bangs and screams?

That is not what you said. You said on the radio. You said a mention.

Now you have a different story. This time, in my opinion, you're getting closer. But before.... before you were completely wrong. If they wanted front pages and TV broadcasts, they would go to Bangkok, to Phuket, to Krabi - they would go to Malaysia and decapitate people and they would get front pages then. But they don't.

These people don't care about the media, the newspapers, the radio. But of course they need attention. And they get it, where it matters to THEM.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

There goes Article 44...

[FangFerang]

So much for returning happiness to the people. Someone, obviously the 1%, is very unhappy...

[FangFerang]

This could well be disastrous for the tourist industry, if this gets plenty of coverage from the international press then people will stay away.

Thailand has plenty to pull in visitors but as soon as its perceived to be unsafe its game over. I'm surprised it's tucked away in the local forum, this is huge news.

Right now it is already all around the world.

I don't doubt, news like this spreads fast but to add to my previous post about Thailand making international headlines. On the Aus Google news I had to dig for it, a deliberate search came up with it, it was not headlined at all. Odd.

No mention of it whatsoever on commercial news nightly 6pm bulletin (Ch7 Sydney) but there was a story with video on ABC national news 6:30pm at the 10 minute mark so it's certainly been seen on an international

Apparently the Happiness has not been returned to all the people.

[slipperylobster]

is anyone else hearing/seeing all of the helicopters coming into samui today?

anyone remember a recent crackdown/operation in samui last month?

[FangFerang]

Of course the red shirts did this. Dengue fever, apoplexy, bubonic plague, and the common cold? Of course the red shirts did it. The sum total of all human suffering came from the redshirts.

Amen.

[Rooo]

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[Guest]

I would not be thinking about tourism right now. I'm more thinking about avoiding areas where lots of people come together

Interesting thought, so close to Songkran.

I personally avoid that circus like the palgue ... but tens of thousdans of people will be packed together soon>

This is not a good thing ...

[jspill]

The bangkok bombing reaked of false flag, now again people were getting agitated with recent developments, nothing like another little bomb to get them back on board.

CSI LA echoed that opinion too, and lots of Thais commented in agreement

[Rooo]

Off topic posts deleted.

[lemonjelly]

So, they blew up Lee Gardens to get a mention on local radio.....

I'm certain they also couldn't care less about getting a mention on local radio, for Lee Gardens, the attempt to assassinate the high institution in the 1970s, the 54 known beheadings in recent years - or any of it.

But do go on if you have any primary-source information about why these people blow up things in the South. Or kill or terrorise or decapitate or burn. You know, opinions are worth what you pay for a click on the home, here, of The Official Thai Visa Anti-Terrorism Squad.

But do you have actual information about it? Because I've never seen or heard an authoritative voice say they are after "mentions" of any type on their violence. I'm unaware of a single tract, interview, broadcast, banner or even town meeting where they "mentioned" their violence.

You are certainly welcome to your OPINION about whether they are attention seekers when they kill and maim and blow things up, but you are not entitled to claim this as Truth. It's my opinion they are not after any mentions at all. They have a political and paramilitary programme that they have relentlessly pursued for decades, and it has never included propaganda emphasising their violence. Even when Gadhafi and then the Ayatollahs were bankrolling them, they never brought up the violence.

To say that they do these violent things to get a mention of any kind is nothing but mind-reading and transference. Until you reveal yourself as a spokesperson for one of these gangs, or produce some source material, you only have a personal opinion, and it's not enlightened.

.

so, when they carry out these atrocoties, it's not to get any form of attention......... sure...whatever..... In my OPINION... they do aim to get attention.... or you think they just like the sound of loud bangs and screams?

That is not what you said. You said on the radio. You said a mention.

Now you have a different story. This time, in my opinion, you're getting closer. But before.... before you were completely wrong. If they wanted front pages and TV broadcasts, they would go to Bangkok, to Phuket, to Krabi - they would go to Malaysia and decapitate people and they would get front pages then. But they don't.

These people don't care about the media, the newspapers, the radio. But of course they need attention. And they get it, where it matters to THEM.

quote: <<If they wanted front pages and TV broadcasts, they would go to Bangkok, to Phuket, to Krabi>>

or Had Yai.... or Samui.... you get it yet?

[EnglishJohn]

Samui and Suratthani is yellow territory.

5 Years anniversary of the 2010 crackdown.

Ah a little too convenient isn't it.... ever heard of false flag?

Late enough, around 22h30 that it doesn't damage too much tourism but big enough that we can sell to those pesky farangs the need for complete power.

____________________

Yada yada ... and the protestors blew themselves up as well I expect. Right up until the red-shirts got caught with an M79 then I expect you changed the subject.

In 10 years of Thailand, I know of only 2 proven terrorists groups. Muslims in the South and the UDD. Reckon it might be one of those two ?.

Wake up and start acting like a responsible adult.

[Tchooptip]

My DIL works at Samui Airport she called us this morning saying thousands of tourist asked for living Samui to spend Songkran elsewhere in Thailand, also more scary she told us Police are looking for 2 other (supposed) bombs still somewhere on the island (?)

[wandasloan]

quote: <<If they wanted front pages and TV broadcasts, they would go to Bangkok, to Phuket, to Krabi>>

or Had Yai.... or Samui.... you get it yet?

Sigh.

Hat Yai is within their area. It is "their" claimed territory, part of what they call Patani.

Yes, if they wanted a "mention" as you drolly put it, they would go to Samui. Why do you figure they have not gone to Samui or other places I mentioned but ONLY have stayed in the deep South and NEVER have sought out media attention by going out of the deep South to commit violence of any kind?

They have carefully staged violence *only* in the region that that they specifically claim makes up Patani. That includes just about one half of Songkhla province, and they stick to that half. That does NOT include the neighbouring majority-Muslim province of Krabi, where they have never, ever committed violence.

If they wanted a mention, it's pretty easy, you agree. Just go outside the deep South (Patani) and make violence. So why do they not do that, do you think?

[dom samui]

Still need to be VERY CAREFULL IN SAMUI these days:
Today :From a friend:
"My DIL works at Samui Airport she called us this morning saying thousands of tourist asked for living Samui to spend Songkran elsewhere in Thailand, also more scary she told us Police are looking for 2 other (supposed) bombs still somewhere on the island (?) "

[Craig krup]

An explosion is a very, very rapid burn, which means a lot of chemical oxygen and a little bit of fuel. Propane cylinders contain a lot of fuel - only the idiots who attacked Glasgow Airport think that they can set fire to a propane cylinder and get an explosion. You'd need (at least) 85kg of chemical oxygen for a 15kg propane cylinder to get a really sharp and destructive explosion, as opposed to a fire. McVeigh (apparently) took down the federal building in Oklahoma with a very "rich" mixture - hardly any fuel. He, of course, was an ex-soldier, and knew what he was doing.

The nightmare is that to control an insurgency's access to explosives you have to control their access to chemical oxygen. The British managed that in Northern Ireland, but it takes an awful lot of work, organisation and manpower. In countries with a lot of agriculture - and with enough high explosive and detonators around to get homemade explosives started - it could be very, very difficult to get a grip of the situation. The only upside is that the region is tropical and relatively poor, so the total amount of fertiliser coming in should be limited. ASEAN and the like need regional agreements to really restrict and chemically mark everything coming in.

[Basil B]

Things do not add up...

Too easy to get caught out, first the steel the truck from the South so they have to get it to Samui...

Surely the BiB are already checking the details of every pick-up truck that has used the ferries in the last two weeks, then hopefully there will be CCTV footage and possibly even appeals to people who have been on ferries to pass on any photos and video.

As for the work of insurgents from the South I think not, they would be looking to kill lots of people, something that I feel this bomber did not intend.

So, could have been the red shirts?

Could have been the yellow shirts, trying to blame the red shirts?

Could also be the Samui Mafia, retaliation to recent crack downs,

Or any one of a many other criminal elements too numerous to mention that have a grievance.

[Basil B]

Wouldn't CCTV be all over the area ?

Central has elaborate CCTV. Looks like Houston Control in their security center.

They will have numerous video of this vehicle arriving.

already doneImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1428721663.344915.jpg

Looks still day light when it was driven in, so must have been there a few hours.

Also the damage on the bumper could be useful when checking CCTV if they had used a third set of number plates assuming it was done before arriving on Samui.

[livinthailandos]

Different posters on here have mentioned about the impact of tourism. Well history has a perfect example to show of what tourism would easily look like after a major incident in thailand. This is from the bali 2002 incident

Following the first incident on 12 October 2002, after which many countries issued warnings to citizens planning to travel to Bali, the number of foreign tourists visiting the island declined by 57 per cent. Two weeks after the incident, average hotel occupancies stood at 18 per cent; in previous years, the average occupancy rate for October was 70 per cent. In a short time, approximately 2.7 million tourism workers were unemployed.

These paragraphs down here are worth reading and you'll see why

By early 2005, the future of Bali’s tourism industry was beginning to look promising again. But then, on 1 October, another similiar incident struck. The second attack had a different style of execution than the first, but the motives and targets were similar. In many respects, then, the second incident was simply a repeat of the first, so a certain level of preparedness would be expected. Not so.

The reasons for this organisational incapacity to learn are complex. Firstly, a head-in-the-sand mentality endures in government departments ) , as a former high-level bureaucrat intimated when he excused his bureaucracy’s poor preparedness for the second incident in this way: ‘We have to think positive. To think about a recovery program would imply that we want the same tragedy to strike again.’ Echoing this sentiment, another bureaucrat said: ‘We come back to our habits… We believed that there wouldn’t be another attack.’

note all of this was before facebook, twitter, etc social media and rise of smartphones. i dont need to really explain how much social media and smartphones would magnify the impact

[Samui Coconut]

Still need to be VERY CAREFULL IN SAMUI these days:

Today :From a friend:

"My DIL works at Samui Airport she called us this morning saying thousands of tourist asked for living Samui to spend Songkran elsewhere in Thailand, also more scary she told us Police are looking for 2 other (supposed) bombs still somewhere on the island (?) "

There are still more than 10 flights available today to BKK alone, so not sure what the problem is of these "thousands of tourists".

[Rooo]

Still need to be VERY CAREFULL IN SAMUI these days:

Today :From a friend:

"My DIL works at Samui Airport she called us this morning saying thousands of tourist asked for living Samui to spend Songkran elsewhere in Thailand, also more scary she told us Police are looking for 2 other (supposed) bombs still somewhere on the island (?) "

Not sure what is your agenda.This is an UNCONFIRMED source & is simply scaremongering.Thousands of people trying to leave, first thing to do is check flights before making such posts.

[samuijimmy]

Strange two Lomparayah ferries arrived at Maenam, that's several hundred people, the day before yesterday... one full one yesterday.... at around 5 pm.....

I agree with Rooo ^ If there were that many people wanting to leave, they would put on more ferries... People don't just fly here either ....

[dom samui]

Still need to be VERY CAREFULL IN SAMUI these days:

Today :From a friend:

"My DIL works at Samui Airport she called us this morning saying thousands of tourist asked for living Samui to spend Songkran elsewhere in Thailand, also more scary she told us Police are looking for 2 other (supposed) bombs still somewhere on the island (?) "

Not sure what is your agenda.This is an UNCONFIRMED source & is simply scaremongering.Thousands of people trying to leave, first thing to do is check flights before making such posts.

Dear Roo,

what do you mean with "Not sure what is your agenda" ?

Im just cariing about people LIVES, dont you?

When you say :".This is an UNCONFIRMED source & is simply scaremongering........

"first thing to do is check flights before making such posts."

Do you think i m stupid ?

So i'll let you see BY YOURSELF :

Here are the screencaptures of:

1/ BKK airways website when i want to book a flight to Bkk now.

2/Same with Thai Airways. (website is out of order NOW and same for the phone line : 022887000.

So...... Can you see so many seats available ???????

May i ask you what is your agenda with me ? (This post and your private message ?

Many thanks

Have a SAFE and NICE Thai new year.