Jump to content

US Embassy issues terrorist threat warning


JaiDee

Recommended Posts

NEP would be an easy target.

U.S. Citizen Services

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat

January 13, 2012

This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.

The American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok, and can be reached by calling 66-2-205-4049, or by e-mailing acsbkk@state.gov. The Embassy’s after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-2-205-4000. The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is located at 387 Wichayanond Road in Chiang Mai. The American Citizen Services Unit of the Consulate General can be reached by calling 66-53-107-777 and by e-mail at acschn@state.gov. The after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-81-881-1878.

For the latest security information, you should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website, where current Worldwide Cautions, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings and health-information resources can be found. You can also obtain up-to-date information on security by calling 1-888-407-4747 (toll free) in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers in other areas, by calling a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

We encourage you notify us of your presence in Thailand by enrolling in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Note: Due to a technical error, some recipients received this message - followed by a recall message - a few minutes later. Please disregard the recall message.

Link to comment

"be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel."

U.S. Press Release writers have obviously never been to Thailand.

Shit. Was just on my way to Nana. My own package has been unattended for a few too many days... :pardon:

Link to comment
The statement gave no other details, but the Reuters news agency quoted Thai Deputy Prime Minister as saying a suspected member of the Lebanese Islamic extremist group Hezbollah had been arrested in Thailand.

"A Lebanese suspect from the Hezbollah group has been taken into custody by Thai officials and police are investigating further," Chalerm Yumbumrung told Reuters.

"Following concern raised by the Israeli embassy about a possible attack by a group of Lebanese terrorists in Bangkok, Thai police officials had been coordinating with Israeli officials since before the new year," Reuters quoted the politician as saying.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57358451/thailand-makes-arrest-amid-terror-warning/

Link to comment

Text of Snick's article from CBS. There is also a pic of a Thai office worker showing cleavage.

BANGKOK - The U.S. ambassador to Thailand warned Friday there is a "real and very credible" threat of a terrorist attack against American citizens in Bangkok.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney was elaborating on an "emergency message" sent by the embassy to American citizens earlier Friday warning of a possible terrorist attack.

The message said that "foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future." It urged Americans to "keep a low profile" in public and to exercise caution in areas where Western tourists gather.

The statement gave no other details, but the Reuters news agency quoted Thai Deputy Prime Minister as saying a suspected member of the Lebanese Islamic extremist group Hezbollah had been arrested in Thailand.

"A Lebanese suspect from the Hezbollah group has been taken into custody by Thai officials and police are investigating further," Chalerm Yumbumrung told Reuters.

"Following concern raised by the Israeli embassy about a possible attack by a group of Lebanese terrorists in Bangkok, Thai police officials had been coordinating with Israeli officials since before the new year," Reuters quoted the politician as saying.

Kenney told The Associated Press the threat was "real and very credible."

It was the first U.S. warning of a foreign terror attack in Bangkok in recent memory.

Embassy spokesman Walter Braunohler declined to release more details saying, "At this time we don't have any further information to share."

Link to comment

Whatever, fuck these clowns and their propaganda bullshit.

not so much propaganda as the ol' CYA - cover yer ass

If there was some bombing somewhere and it was later discovered that the embassy knew and did NOT make this warning, they would be fucked. Better to make the warning even if nothing happens, 'just in case'.

I saw some people on Thai Visa speculating that Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy or Patpong and Khoa San road would be the best places for some asswipes to strike. But I have always figured that if these fuckheads really want to do some serious damage, create media attention, AND take out some yanks [as well as a good number of Israeli's] they would strike at a full moon party. That would make Bali look like kids play.

Link to comment

Here is what I got on the subject. The Thais got tipped off last month about the Lebanese by the Israelis and US. The Thais found the Lebanese and "kept an eye" on them. They went to the south of Thailand (maybe look for local Talent???) and returned to their apartment in BKK on Khao San road. When the BiB went to the apartment to arrest them they had disapeared ( so far for keeping an eye on the bad guys). One was found again and arrested at Swampy as he was trying to leave the country.

Link to comment

Just saw this on Yahoo...

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai television station is reporting that a Lebanese suspect with alleged links to Hezbollah militants has led police to a warehouse housing materials that could be used to make explosives.

Thai PBS television showed police confiscating boxes of urea fertilizer and liquid ammonium nitrate in Monday's raid.

The raid comes after the U.S. and Israel warned Friday of a terror threat targeting their citizens in Bangkok. Officials say that threat has now been thwarted.

The Lebanese suspect was detained Thursday. He led police to the warehouse, where police also found three beds, matching accounts that the man was traveling with two companions.

The terror alert came amid growing tensions over U.S. and Israeli responses to Iran's nuclear program.

Link to comment

The Lebanese suspect was detained Thursday. He led police to the warehouse, where police also found three beds, matching accounts that the man was traveling with two companions.

The Thai Counter Terrorism Unit must be watching lots of 24 perhaps using Jack Bauer methods to get the intended result. :girl_devil:

Link to comment
  • 5 weeks later...

The terror threat has now been confirmed with a triple bomb blast in Bangkok. Here's the story from Bangkok Post Iranian injured in Bangkok Bombs.

Iranian injured in Bangkok bombs
Published: 14/02/2012 at 05:17 PM Online news: Security  
Three explosions rocked Sukhumvit 71 in Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon, badly injuring an Iranian man who lost both his legs.

Another man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport after police discovered explosive materials in a house rented by three Iranians in Soi Pridiphanomyong 31.

Four other people were injured in the blasts.

Government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng said police reported the house was being used to make bombs and had uncovered a cache of C4 explosives and remote control detonating devices.

She said a bomb went off inside the rented house and two of the three men fled.

The third man, identified as Saeid Moradi, followed and tried to hail a taxi, which refused to stop. Police said he threw a bomb at the taxi, injuring the driver, and ran off.

He then was spotted by police and threw a third bomb at them, but it bounced off a tree and blew his legs off. He was rushed to Kluaynamthai Hospital.

Mrs Thitima said investigators were now trying to find out if an attack was being organised or whether there was a suicide mission planned.

The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, is contacting the government of Iran to check if the Iranian men are on its terrorist watch list, she said.

Police temporarily closed Klong Ton and Phra Khanong intersections so that bomb disposal experts could inspect the area and asked commuters to avoid using roads in the vicinity.

No explosives were found in the black bag the injured man was carrying.

One of the bombs damaged a telephone booth outside Kasempithaya School. A spokesman said no one at the school was hurt and that parents had been informed of the situation. Pupils were ordered to remain in their classrooms.

Police said the man detained at Suvarnabhumi airport was trying to board an Air Asia flight o Malaysia. They said he arrived in Thailand on the same day as Mr Moradi.

The names of the four other injured people are Sutatip Sajjadamrong, taxi driver Sanchai Boonsoongnoen, Apichart (surname not reported) and Kangwan Horprasattong.

The link to the story also has photos. Thailand dodged a bullet this time around with no one killed. Hopefully the government will not continue to try and spin the story and take some concrete measures and action to deal with the threat - rather than blame other countries for attempting to ruin their tourism numbers with travel warnings.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...