Moscow warns that ISIS in Thailand to attack Russian targets

[marquis22]

I just saw this reported on NHK (Japanese) tv which said the same thing but added that the targets were BOTH Russian and western tourists. I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by this.

Personally, I have little confidence that these terrorist forces can be well contained here. So how are we supposed to react to this?

Avoid Russians and their hangouts?

Are there any hangouts up north??

[Benmart]

Some use this article as a springboard for lame attempts at humor. I dont find any of this humorous. Then again, I am sober when I peck at the keys.

[carter1882]

If IS have operatives in Thailand it is not only Russians they will come after. The vote in London and swift action based on it means that British interests around the world and here are likely targets.

[chiang mai]

I just saw this reported on NHK (Japanese) tv which said the same thing but added that the targets were BOTH Russian and western tourists. I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by this.

Personally, I have little confidence that these terrorist forces can be well contained here. So how are we supposed to react to this?

Avoid Russians and their hangouts?

Are there any hangouts up north??

A few trees, the odd bridge, that's about it really, we're pretty backwoods types up here, interbreeding is not uncommon and we often distill our own liquor.

Sounds like home to you, I would imagine!

[Just1Voice]

As mentioned, if IS has operatives here, it won't just be the Russians they target, but every "white" Anglo/Saxon they can find. And unless the RTP or Army can't find them BEFORE they do something, then people are going to die. Very simple. And personally, I don't have a lot of faith in the RTP or the Army. Remember, you're dealing with wacko fanatics here who believe it's a honor to die while killing "infidels".

[JHolmesJr]

If IS have operatives in Thailand it is not only Russians they will come after. The vote in London and swift action based on it means that British interests around the world and here are likely targets.

Round the clock security at soi buakhao, chaiyapoon, lk metro and diana.

[kcirtapyelrah]

IS are not going to boom Thailand, what would they hope to achieve by doing that, it's a load of propaganda, the junta are becoming chronic, the longer you surfer something the more you become used to it. We need the junta to keep us SAFE.

[NoshowJones]

We can count our luck with having a military junta in charge of the country and a few of these highly educated and battle hardened skilled generals in all terrorist tactics will have this ISIS lot rounded up and sorted out and heading back home in the blink of an eye.

Will they get a reward, or wait until the ISIS are rounded up and sorted out.

[Travelman868]

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

Islamic "Freedom Fighters" are special. Did you read about the 3 "Freedom Fighters" who stopped at a coffee stall in Syria. Ordered coffee from the 15 year old boy, drank the coffee and when asked to pay shot the boy in front of his family.

These are your Islamic "freedom fighters"

They are murderers of women and children.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

We can count our luck with having a military junta in charge of the country and a few of these highly educated and battle hardened skilled generals in all terrorist tactics will have this ISIS lot rounded up and sorted out and heading back home in the blink of an eye.

as opposed to the terrorists that were in office prior to the junta you mean?

[robertson468]

The security checking has more or less stopped in bkk anyway so this would be the perfect time for a massacre from a terrorist perspective ....

Strategicly, they could and would cripple the country if they did the same in 8 new tourist locations.... At the same time

Thailand is just not equipped to deal with a tragedy of that scale and they are too stubborn to ask for help from countries with real expertise

Hopefully the Russians and interpol will get these guys before they blow up any innocent tourists because there is very little chance of the rtp catching them by themselves Imo

The Security checks on Samui have been a joke ever since they were implemented. Entering the Central Shopping complex there are no checks done on the cars, only ID's are photocopied. There are no security checks whatsoever on Big C, Macro or Tesco and the checks at the Airport are even more of a joke. If it is raining, they just raise the barrier and wave you through without checking the car. The Airport Security is more interested in collecting money should you over stay the time. The really worrying thing is, will the authorities take any notice of this raised threat and raise the threat level and put more police/soldiers on the streets of the most vulnerable places. Sadly, I don't have a great deal of faith that they will. I hope I am wrong.

[Thai at Heart]

This is a top secret Interpol document not supposed to be published in the press.

Now the Royal Thai Police is looking for someone who dared to steal this document and sold it to the press.

Well, why are the Thais going around telling everyone there is no ISIS in Thailand if this document exists.

I am very glad someone took it upon themselves to publish it instead of letting these idiot Thais lie themselves all the way into a terrorist attack.

[Jingthing]

Again, Russian intelligence is focused on potential Russian targets.

But keep in mind what was reported on NHK ... Russian targets AND Western targets.

[Michael8511]

They just bombed a restaurant in Kairo, not clear if it was terrorists or who did it. 16 dead

[mgjackson69]

I just saw this reported on NHK (Japanese) tv which said the same thing but added that the targets were BOTH Russian and western tourists. I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by this.

Personally, I have little confidence that these terrorist forces can be well contained here. So how are we supposed to react to this?

Here in Pattaya, pretty much the entire city is a soft target. But some potential targets are more obvious than others. How about a step up in actual security measures rather than the lame "security theater" of entry scanners on some doors at Central Pattaya Beach Mall?

Why react (publicly) at all? That just lends an air of legitimacy to Da'esh.

[mommysboy]

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?

When the army took to the streets in Bangkok they had armed soldiers scattered here and there. It felt a bit strange at first but then you realise there is no threat to you personally, possibly the opposite. It would be a good idea in my view. Make terrorists think twice. As it is now, we're shooting ducks.

[Jingthing]

The thing with guarding against a threat that could hit most anywhere is for the security to also be unpredictable. If all the focus is on embassies, Walking Street, and Khao San Road, then that leaves a huge number of other soft targets. Nobody said this was easy. I tend to support the view now that we have entered a new world war that will last a very long time. ISIS can be crushed if there is the will, but then some new flavor of Islamist Jihadist brand will simply replace them.

[Gandtee]

Good thinking bu the police to announce that Walking St. and Kao san Rd. are potential targets. I bet the hospitality business owners in those areas are grateful. Why sow the seeds of panic when it is only conjecture? Another nice boost for tourism.

[MockingJay]

Police Caught Off Guard by Memo About Possible ISIS Attack

...well, the RTP is pretty much caught off guard by anything but their monthly paycheck, no?

[MockingJay]

The thing with guarding against a threat that could hit most anywhere is for the security to also be unpredictable. If all the focus is on embassies, Walking Street, and Khao San Road, then that leaves a huge number of other soft targets. Nobody said this was easy. I tend to support the view now that we have entered a new world war that will last a very long time. ISIS can be crushed if there is the will, but then some new flavor of Islamist Jihadist brand will simply replace them.

"but then some new flavor of Islamist Jihadist brand will simply replace them" Correctamundo! And it will be invented and be proudly presented by...? Our beloved world savior, the USA - yeeehaaa!

[donnybay]

Do you think they might have worked out that if you use the outside lift or escalator you don't need to go though security at Festival beach Pattaya

[Jingthing]

The thing with guarding against a threat that could hit most anywhere is for the security to also be unpredictable. If all the focus is on embassies, Walking Street, and Khao San Road, then that leaves a huge number of other soft targets. Nobody said this was easy. I tend to support the view now that we have entered a new world war that will last a very long time. ISIS can be crushed if there is the will, but then some new flavor of Islamist Jihadist brand will simply replace them.

"but then some new flavor of Islamist Jihadist brand will simply replace them" Correctamundo! And it will be invented and be proudly presented by...? Our beloved world savior, the USA - yeeehaaa!

It's not quite that simple and I reckon you know that.

Obviously the Bush Iraq war was a huge, historically massive, foreign policy mistake and greatly contributed to the current instabilities. But that's not the same thing as what's implied by your post. It's closer to an UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES kind of thing.

Things are super complex now.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Do you think they might have worked out that if you use the outside lift or escalator you don't need to go though security at Festival beach Pattaya

I think they already know and don't care. It's all theater and to do a thorough job would cost a lot of money, innit?

[bbi1]

I just saw this reported on NHK (Japanese) tv which said the same thing but added that the targets were BOTH Russian and western tourists. I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by this.

Personally, I have little confidence that these terrorist forces can be well contained here. So how are we supposed to react to this?

Here in Pattaya, pretty much the entire city is a soft target. But some potential targets are more obvious than others. How about a step up in actual security measures rather than the lame "security theater" of entry scanners on some doors at Central Pattaya Beach Mall?

The best security in Thailand is just before you enter Petchaburi MRT station coming from Makkasan...the guy there always gives me the once over and makes me open my bag every time even though I have just gone through three security checks in the UK Dubai and Swampy!

If Petchaburi MRT station security is the "best" then we are all in trouble. All they do is get you to open up one of the zippers of your suitcase & shine a torchlight at it. They don't move any of your clothes out of the way or ask you to open up any of the other 2 zipper pockets of the suitcase...

[Usernames]

I thought the Russians, along with the Chinese, were Thailand's new best friends. So why did the Russians lay out this little bombshell that is certain to wreak havoc on Thailand's tourism.

[regfrancis]

Have to quadruple the defense budget then..... Best buy some Lockheed Martin shares. Hang on Russian weapons company's are bargain basement. Who makes Kalashnikov?

[tuanku]

Its hard to keep things in perspective, but the upcoming New Year holiday will see hundreds dead in mostly avoidable road accidents. No one is worrying much about that, it is business as usual, but a potential lower death toll in a gun and suicide bomb attack does get people wound up. Neither is a good thing, and although the financial impact of unnecessary road deaths is high, it is dwarfed by the potential impact of terrorist action on tourism revenues. Either way the RTP cannot be much relied on to counter either threat effectively. The terrorist memo business is a black comedy. One wonders if the police have any training or do they just show up at work on day 1 with their gun and get given a uniform?

[Jingthing]

I thought the Russians, along with the Chinese, were Thailand's new best friends. So why did the Russians lay out this little bombshell that is certain to wreak havoc on Thailand's tourism.

Because it's real and they care about their nationals.

[gemguy]

The ISIS is upset with the Russians?......That would be understandable.

Cant beat them on the battle ground so they plan to hurt them on the playground.

Twisted minds if ever there was.

Cheers

[Usernames]

I thought the Russians, along with the Chinese, were Thailand's new best friends. So why did the Russians lay out this little bombshell that is certain to wreak havoc on Thailand's tourism.

Because it's real and they care about their nationals.

Maybe. But the Russians have gone ape shit over ISIS since their plane went down. They see them everywhere. Then, there is the UK, which claims that it is the next target for ISIS. Seems like anywhere, anytime is a better answer.