I was at Tesco and the bus station here in Chiang Mai today and both places look like business as usual.

I was at Tesco and the bus station here in Chiang Mai today and both places look like business as usual.

I hope the violence never hits the north. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but the different factions have to get it together before Thailand turns into Palestine. I remember before Bush's War there were anti-war protests in front of Ta Pae Gate. Nobody in CM wants this crap.

The extra safety measures taken at shopping malls are a complete joke.

When you enter the carpark, they check the underside of your car with mirrors , but they don't even ask you to open your trunk...

This was the case today at the Central World parking entrance, right across from where one of the bombs was detonated last week.

That sort of reminds me of the "security checkpoint" as you enter the airport departures area at Manila airport. Each and every entering car is stopped and asked to open the boot. A guard looks in there, and what do you suppose in in nearly all of them? That's right, several large pieces of luggage. But do they look to see what's inside the luggage? Of course they don't. Real purpose? I'm guessing someone has a very lucrative security contract that involves a very large commission.

Now let's hope that the management over at Suvarnabhumi are not reading this and begin to get any ideas or we will be plagued with the same huge traffic queues that result from the "security checkpoint" at MNL.

Well it seems they are taking it seriously, just got back from Tesco where I saw armed soldiers walking around the car park.

Did I miss something??

Is there an airport or bus station at Tesco?

Actually I was replying to Security Measures in general...

Well it seems they are taking it seriously, just got back from Tesco where I saw armed soldiers walking around the car park.

Did I miss something??

Is there an airport or bus station at Tesco?

Actually I was replying to Security Measures in general...

Renee thank you for broadining the view on security.

will be coming back to Thailand soon, I guess I am in for a new experience.

In Chiang Mai we have been told of two bobms - one a grenade thrown into the mosque at the night bazarre and two at the Tesco lotus hang dong - also recently (uncomfirmed) an explosion at Carefour - does anyone have any news on these events as since the Chiang Mai mail has stopped printing we have no english press!!??

Yes please fill me in on this news or hearsays in Chiang Mai. Last I heard was there was a bomb scare at Chiang Mai International airport last weekend but cannot confirm it since there was nothing on the local TV stations.

i am afraid to say that in general all security in thailand is a joke.

Boost levels of security to european levels - thats not going to happen overnight.

Army at Supermarkets - maybe it just the security guards you know how crazy they are to wear their medals and the ones at Tesco look like a military uniform.

Checking of cars at shopping centres, again a joke, at central bangkok they check the boot with a handheld metal detector, what do they suppose the car is made of?? thats why it keeps beeping!! There are better methods but again it all costs money.

Unless Thai business and government wish to start paying a good price for security and international practices then it will not improve, you get what you pay for at the end of the day and most security contracts are very low value. If the customers pay more then the security companies can do more to firstly pay their staff better and secondly train them better. All too often like everythign else in this country it is a decision based purely on price. If its 10 baht cheaper per year they will leave the international security companies and go with K. Somsak's profesional guarding service where they sleep 23 hours a day!!