Moscow warns that ISIS in Thailand to attack Russian targets

[sabai-dee-man]

First came IS...

Then came ISIS...

Then Daesh...

Now known as the Combined United Northern Territories of Syria.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

You mean after all the crap immigration gives to those of us who enter thailand legally with reporting our movements that 8 isis members have slipped into Thailand? Goodbye city life Hello issan.

[Krataiboy]

Easy on the terrorist paranoia. Personally, I'm more worried about becoming a victim of dengue fever, which is spreading rapidly and apparently without much official effort to prevent an epidemic.

Terrorist attacks worldwide kill fewer people than bee stings or sharks.. But keep the population jitteryand they will be begging - as some ThaiVisa posters already are - for yet more security and surveillance.

[Thaidream]

There is no way to actually spot one of these people in Thailand. the best advice is to be aware of your surroundings. If something does not look or feel right- I leave the area. Remember that the terrorists who entered America for the 9/11 horror all entered on valid passports and visas. they passed through American Immigration at some point and were never spotted. These people are highly trained and know how to blend. You may even see them drinking alcohol or in a Temple. I won't dwell on the possible danger but I will stay alert as I always do. If you see something- Say something.

[waighty]

i am absolutely amazed at the level of professional terrorism experts that actually post on TV. This is incredible. I am closely following your do's and do nots comforted in the fact that you will advising readers about the next step that ISIS will take where they will be and possibly what brand of vest they prefer. DH's

[Borneo Baron]

Thailand is no different to most other countries in the region.Most of the comments on here could apply to any country including Australia.

[chrisinth]

Songkran is not that far away. Plenty of people gathering at that time. Just a thought

Yep, just got Christmas, New Year & Chinese New Year to get through before you need to be worried.

Probably don't see christian festivities like Christmas as an affront to their beliefs anyway...........................

[petebox69]

Hopefully, the terrorists succumb to the charms of Pattaya and forget to blow up themselves.....

[johnhw]

Get blind drunk, start a brawl, stagger & slur, preferably all in a Russki bar, and the terrorists loose!!

[Jingthing]

Hopefully, the terrorists succumb to the charms of Pattaya and forget to blow up themselves.....

They're not mutually exclusive. Lots of evidence in recent history of Islamist terrorists doing all sorts of non-Islamic things before doing their missions.

[deepcell]

Well, thanks for the Americans to back up ISIS. Soon or later we can expect some sort of trouble from this guys. They are deployed all around the world, just waiting the signal to attack their targets. Sad fact that even the highest intelligence can not stop. Avoid crowded places.

[johnhw]

So here we have a Country with strict gun laws, except of course criminals and terrorist. It would be nice if I could "Lock & Load".

Well we shall see, ISIS is a Cancer and should be distroyed/killed !!

The Voice of 'Merca??, your Thai branch of the NRA??

Issue weapons, preferably assault rifles, to all Thais, two per tourist, and we'd all feel a lot safer being able to "Lock & Load".

[tigermoth]

I agree, the tourist spots of Thailand will inevitably become a target at some point, as JT said earlier, all of Pattaya is a soft target.

All of Thailand is a soft target, particularly the large malls in Bangkok and transportation systems. The only thing that might supress their efforts is this place is one of the terrorists few holiday spots that have all the things they can't get anywhere else, booze, sex (whatever form interests you) and smiles of course. If they start up here on a relatively very small target (foreign population is far larger in many other countries), then they will be screwing up their own fun as immigration will get a lot tougher and that would be easy to do.

[seedy]

One Racist post removed

Another post like this will earn you a posting holiday

[Harry2]

I would like to see armed soldiers now at obvious areas of potential attack all over town. Including beaches. They have declared war against civilization. They're not kidding around. Would that depress tourists? Sure it would but the alternative is what? Waiting for the attacks?

Frankly as a potential bystander I would be as worried about the gunfire coming from a bunch of half-trained peasant soldiers with likely little or no training on how to react in a crowded civilian setting like a mall.

Sadly if they are after Russians - having now essentially driven them off the Egyptian beaches, Turkey no longer looks welcoming - Thailand becomes a v likely ISIS target.

[krismagi]

I returned to the UK on Tuesday. This is what happened to me (as posted on Facebook)

"Second highlight of my trip back: we landed at Charles De Gaulle and were told by the cabin staff to stay in our seats. A few minutes after the cabin doors opened, 4 burly French security guards barged through the plane and returned hauling a bearded Asian guy shouting 'Alluhu Akhbar'. General bemusement among the (mostly) middle aged French tourists returning home ..... I was just panicking to get to my connecting flight!

My congratulations to Suvarnabhumi Security - well spotted! NOT!"

This was NOT a great way to end my visit to Thailand.

[chilli42]

There is nothing you can do to protect yourself from the inevitable attack unless you want to live under a rock. May as well live as always. The odds of being in the wrong place at the wrong time are vanishingly small. If you are willing to ride a motorbike in Thailand you have already stepped up to one of the most serous risks to life that you are going to face here.

[novo58]

Dont worry .......the immigration boys will pick em up when they fail to lodge their TM30 with 24hrs of arriving at their safe house ????

[MZurf]

I would like to see armed soldiers now at obvious areas of potential attack all over town. Including beaches. They have declared war against civilization. They're not kidding around. Would that depress tourists? Sure it would but the alternative is what? Waiting for the attacks?

I find this comment amusing from one who critisizes the Russian objection to an Islamic country's reaction to the a very minor air incursion, from an aircraft that was involved in the suppresion of the very body of evil that is now threatening to attack Westerners (Russians) in Pattaya. Phincter problems?

If you had bothered to pay attention you would have known that the Russians were busy bombing the Turkmen, an ethnic Turkish minority opposed to Assad.

So what? Same scum.

I'm glad you're not prone to generalizations!

[klauskunkel]

Ten Syrian members of the Islamic State slipped into Thailand last month

Wondering if those slippery types greased their way in just like the Uighurs before them?

[mercman24]

just to add to that, don't forget the U.K. are now bombing the S*** out of them as well, so that brings brits into the limelight.

[SOTIRIOS]

...the initial headline says 'foreign'....now it says 'Russian'.....thanks bub...

[DrTuner]

I agree, the tourist spots of Thailand will inevitably become a target at some point, as JT said earlier, all of Pattaya is a soft target.

All of Thailand is a soft target, particularly the large malls in Bangkok and transportation systems. The only thing that might supress their efforts is this place is one of the terrorists few holiday spots that have all the things they can't get anywhere else, booze, sex (whatever form interests you) and smiles of course. If they start up here on a relatively very small target (foreign population is far larger in many other countries), then they will be screwing up their own fun as immigration will get a lot tougher and that would be easy to do.

And add to that that if you bomb people living in Pattaya, the governments of the countries of their origin probably just chuckle and say good riddance.

[Baerboxer]

Again, they are not only after Russians. Is Paris in Russia? In Pattaya and Phuket they get Russians and westerners. You can't really step out in Pattaya and segregate yourself from Russians (or westerners).

I'm asking a serious question.

Should we avoid the malls, walking street, etc.?

It's hard to completely avoid the malls but I think it would be sensible to avoid large gatherings such as at festivals that attract mostly foreigners.

As far as the Russians ... so now Egypt is out. Turkey is out. So ISIS wants to make Pattaya out too?

I think you answer your own questions. Pattaya has Russians, Westerners, Jews, very visible alcohol and sex entertainment.

ISIS would know this and would be attacking many things they hate in one go.

Be careful - the ISIS attacks are likely to increase and be more widely spread as more countries bomb them.

[ThaiTony2]

Time to arm and protect the family.

[webfact]

Police Caught Off Guard by Memo About Possible ISIS Attack
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Pattaya Beach in a December 2014 file photo.

BANGKOK — Several high-ranking police officers said they only learned about an internal police memo that 10 Islamic State militants may be on the loose in Thailand from the media.

Police officers in Pattaya and Phuket – the two tourist destinations named in the Special Branch Police memo as possible attack targets for the alleged militants – said they knew little about the document, which was issued Nov. 27 and leaked to the media Thursday night.

The document, classified as “Urgent” and “Secret,” cited an intelligence report from the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, that 10 alleged members of the Islamic State terror group had entered Thailand between Oct. 15 and Oct. 31 to conduct attacks on “Russian interests.”

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1449206093


-- Khaosod English 2015-12-04

[Time Traveller]

Don't worry people, the thai immigration knows where they live...thanks to their ingenius Address reporting of foreigners regulation. You know, that rule where they fine YOU when you don't report where you're living, but they don't when it's a bad guy who failed to report.

If something happens, it shows how stupid the immigration laws are. I doubt any thai official has the intelligence to realize that. Expect them to go hard on the lawful, and avoid conflict when it comes to the hardcore criminals.

[Baerboxer]

So what? Same scum.

I'm glad you're not prone to generalizations!

One man's insurgent is another man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist.

Lumping the "allies" together is an equal generalization as there are some very different agendas and interests at play here

[Linden]

Might be a reason why airasia pilots staying home delays cancelations maybe an announcement at the last Alaa seminar told them to go on the sick

[connda]

I figure the local villages would solve the problem long before I'm a target. Not a lot of Islam empathy here in Northern Thailand, especially at the village level. And even Thai Muslims would stick out like a sore thumb. Villages are inter-networks of families. Non-villagers stand out just as much as I do. The locals know their own.