Skip to main content

Possible terror attack on US consulate, Thailand

Bangkok: Thai authorities have tightened security measures at the US Consulate in the northern province of Chiang Mai following reports that it was a possible target of attack from Al Qaida and Salafist terrorist groups this month, officials said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters she had been informed about the reports and that she had ordered security agencies to add more forces to provide safety at the facility, 570 kilometres north of Bangkok.

“The US Embassy in Thailand has not requested any extra measures but we have to monitor the situation attentively,” Yingluck said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung refused to give details about the threats, but said the reinforced measures had been put in place since February 6 and will continue until the end of multinational military exercises, called Cobra Gold, on Sunday.

“The reports did not come from foreign sources but from domestic sources. News like this has been going around for a while and I deem it dangerous,” Chalerm said.

The United States is among the seven nations participating in the exercises, which kicked off on Monday in Chiang Mai. The other countries involved are Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

“There are several reasons [for the warning] but I must keep them confidential,” Chalerm told reporters.

US Embassy spokesman Walter Braunohler in Bangkok said the US Consulate-General remained open for business but said precautions will be taken to protect US facilities.

“We continue to take any precautions to protect our facility — whether it’s in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or worldwide — our employees and our visitors,” Braunohler told The Associated Press.

Thailand has not been a major target for terrorism attacks, although in January 2012 the US and the Israeli embassies sent out warnings of a possible terror threat in the capital, which in the end saw the arrest of a Lebanese-Swedish suspect accused of possessing nearly 3,000 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser that can be used to make explosives.

A month later, two Iranian suspects were detained following an explosion on Valentine’s Day that saw four civilians wounded. The blast came a day after an Israeli diplomatic car was bombed in India — an attack Israel blamed on Iran.

Thailand is a long-standing partner of the United States and major non-Nato ally.

Source: http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/possible-terror-attack-on-us-consulate-thailand-1.1145406

Comments

With reference to my earlier articles on epicentre/homegrown terrorism the above attack is a prove that there is huge task for the security/intelligence/enforcement agencies in this region to handle and contain the floods of terrorists attacks in near future.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Constitution of Malaysia: An Introduction Part 5

7 (1) No person shall be punished for an act or omission which was not punishable by law when it was done or made, and no person shall suffer greater punishment for an offence than was prescribed by law at the time it was committed. (2) A person who has been acquitted or convicted of an offence shall not be tried again for the same offence except where the conviction or acquittal has been quashed and a retrial ordered by a court superior to that by which he was acquitted or convicted.
Post a Comment
Read more

India-Malaysia ties and the future

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is on his first official visit to India. The main aim of this visit is to seek support for Malaysia’s application to join Brics and to fortify bilateral ties, as the country is keen to improve its connections with one of the rapidly expanding economies in Asia. In light of the increasing crumbling of the global order, particularly stemming from trade disputes between the United States and China, as well as the proxy conflict involving the United States and Russia, Malaysia is encouraged to reassess its foreign policy to uphold its neutral stance. Given India’s status as the largest democracy and the fifth-largest economy globally, along with its notable advancements in indigenous space and defence technologies, it is proposed that India emerge as Malaysia’s key partner in the years ahead. Why India is important for Malaysia The historical ties between India and Malaysia extend back several centuries, with significant Indian cultural, religious, and administ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brexit: A lesson for Malaysians

Yesterday, Britons through a referendum made a decision to leave European Union. The ruling Conservative Party divided on this referendum and David Cameron in favour of ‘Remain’ was defeated outright. Even though he is disagreed with the decision of Britons, he announced that he is resigning from his premiership in respect of people’s decision. We can expect in a mature democracy country like United Kingdom this is vastly anticipated to be transpired.   A few days ago, the current Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption of Commission made a statement that he is stepping down from his position and there are some rumours indicating that a few prominent officers from the said Commission will either resign or retire. It’s very eccentric news for Malaysians as it will have a profound impact on bribery and corruption issues in Malaysia as a whole. Recently, the results of two by elections were won by Barisan Nasional, the ruling party of Malaysia. Many promises had been...
Post a Comment
Read more