Hua Hin and Thailand bomb attacks

[JamesWest]

Some things I did not get photos of:

There was increased security at the Intercontinental Hotel with cars being searched before being allowed past the gate.

Squads of Thai police or military men dressed in all black in front of the Intercontinental Hotel and then later in the evening at the closed Market Village with flashlights out and meeting MV security.

Convoys of VIP police cars arriving throught the day.

The food court at Soi 88 is closed. No venders. No nothing.

A large number of police and EMS emergency vehicles in front of the San Palo Hospital. I think most of the victims are here.

Large numbers of tourists looking sort of spooked and grim, talking on cellphones.

A group of Army soldiers deployd at the train station.

Many Thai Army Toyota HumVee type vehicles parked around town.

[JamesWest]

soi 88 food court closed this evening:

[JamesWest]

Emergency vehicles fill the street in front of San Paulo Hospital

[HHTel]

Unless the owner wanted to have a night away - Bars OPEN!

As they were always going to be and always have been.

Unfortunately, this year,many bars had no choice but to stay closed but not because of an alcohol ban.

[JamesWest]

Very sad to see the poor womans cart just left there where she died and the blood all over the street.

I talked to a few woman around Binabaht this morning, they are all freaked out and looking spooked and shocked.
Many had been crying and looked truly sad.

One woman I talked to just 15 feet from the explosion site said she knew the woman who died and was always getting food from her.

Another woman said she was worried about tourist not coming to Hua Hin now.

At one point traffic was blocked into Hua Hin from both directions today.
Khao Takiab where I live is dead for a Friday night.

I think Soi 94 was picking up some of Binabaht's business this evening.

[HHTel]

Terrible news. Not just the tragedy of death and injury, but the repercussions for HH as a tourist destination for years to come. Never for one moment thought the town would be considered a terrorist target.

What happens next largely depends on who was responsible. It was a well coordinated attack but the size of the bombs and obscure locations indicate the aim was more to injure and scare foreign tourists rather than kill.

I see the police have quickly pointed the finger at the red shirts but such sophisticated planning in areas they are sparse in is surely beyond the capabilities and inclination of the red shirt movement. I note they quickly denied responsibility after the BKK bomb and it will be interesting to see if they do so again. It is difficult to see what they gain from it.

The media has pointed the finger at the Muslim seperatists from the South or 'insurgent separatists' as the media calls them, fearful as they are of using the 'M' word. The motives are easier to understand, the locations closer to their homelands and the style similar. However, this would be a dramatic and worrying new tactic as it would surely signify more to come.

Even more worrying would be a claim by IS that they have a cell in Thailand. This is the least likely as the bombs were a bit too amateurish and unspectacular for their preferred style. Yet until someone claims it then none of these can be ruled out.

The initial reaction from the police last night was it was a 'local dispute'. They got that wrong.

It's unlikely to be the separatists. They have been setting bombs for years but has always been in the south and their targets are usually the police/military.

After the referendum where the public were conned into accepting the military written constitution which will give the army ongoing power and even the mechanism to re-appoint Cha-cha-cha for another 5 years, either of the political parties had an axe to grind. I believe this was done to embarrass the junta. One of the reasons that I pointed out that that there were no incidents in BKK or the north.

Politically, whoever wins the next election wanted power to run the country. This has been denied them. The military will rule for several years yet.

So I would rule out ISIS, the southern separatists and look more toward internal politics.

[JamesWest]

Terrible news. Not just the tragedy of death and injury, but the repercussions for HH as a tourist destination for years to come. Never for one moment thought the town would be considered a terrorist target.

Interesting how different people think. I have been waiting for this to happen in Hua Hin since the Bangkok bombing. My reasoning was the proximity of the royal summer palace, the tourist destination and the total joke security around town. Hua Hin is also the weekend get away for Bangkok Hisos so they are getting f**ked with also.

Seeing how propane gas tanks are so common in Thailand, I am amazed these explosions are not larger.

[STEVE G]

With regards to the Southern insurgency, this article from a couple of days ago is interesting:
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/6457

[Jimbob]

No more 'drop and go' places eliminated such as pot plants etc need to be removed from outside businesses.

[Big Boy]

It won't help. On the drive back from the bus station yesterday evening, I pointed out dozens of potential bombs to Mrs BB in a couple of minutes e.g.

- Waste bins
- Black bags full of something lining the streets
- Flower pots
- Street vendor sites
- Bushes
- General piles of rubbish

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Thailand is a dirty country (not criticising, just stating a fact) - disguising a bomb to fit in with the general surrounding must be the easiest thing in the world. Didn't they find one bomb (or suspect device, at least) hanging off overhead electrical cables outside a bank? I'm surprised it was even seen amongst the mish mash above our heads.

It will take a massive cultural change to eliminate 'drop and go' places.

[Homer]

Seeing how propane gas tanks are so common in Thailand, I am amazed these explosions are not larger.

The bombs could have been bigger or been in places where no one would be hurt. The bombing was done, I believe, by supporters of an internal political group because they believe hurting the economy helps them recruit new supporters. The bombs were small because harming any living thing violates one of the 5 Precepts of Buddhism. So, in their twisted minds, killing and injuring a few people will have a large effect on tourism but won't have too much effect on their recruiting new supporters.

[Lev]

PLEASE stop starting new topics - all news and discussion will be merged into this original one where it belongs.

[JamesWest]

I have realy come to like Thai people.
Looking at my photos of the poor womans blood, this morning I am really angry and want to find these POS and kill them.
Sorry. No trial. Just two bullets to the back of the head.

[JamesWest]

UK, AU, USA advisories:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand
http://smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/a ... iland.aspx
https://th.usembassy.gov/security-messa ... incidents/

[hhinner]

Just back from a bike ride around town and seems like things are back to normal. The main market is open, so are all shops, and so is Market Village. Traffic seemed pretty light, but that may be normal at 10 o'c!ock on a long weekend Saturday.