Hua Hin and Thailand bomb attacks

[JamesWest]

"Ahead of the blasts, Police had intelligence an attack was imminent, but had no precise information on location or timing, national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda told reporters in Bangkok on Friday."

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thail ... SKCN10N09R

Thanks for the heads up. NOT.

[JamesWest]

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.

I'm thinking everybody from Bangkok is giving Hua hin a pass this weekend. Next weekend back to normal.

[dtaai-maai]

Thanks for the heads up. NOT.

Bit harsh. "We think there may be some attacks soon, but we don't know when, where or what..."
I can almost hear the howls of derision.

[Big Boy]

Hua Hin Police have just issued the following statement:

ตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์ ขอทำความเข้าใจกับพี่น้องประชาชน จากกรณีการส่งต่อข้อความว่า เหตุระเบิดในพื้นที่หัวหิน ทางตำรวจได้จับกุมตัวผู้ต้องสงสัยได้ 1 คน และอ้างว่าจากการสอบสวนมีเพื่อนร่วมอีก 4 คน และมีการวางระเบิดในพื้นที่หัวหิน 11 จุด
*** ตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์ ขอยืนยันว่าข้อความดังกล่าวไม่เป็นความจริง ทางตำรวจยังไม่มีการจับกุมผู้ใด
และมีในบางเพจมีการอ้างเชื่อมโยงว่า เหตุระเบิดทางใต้จับกุมผู้ต้องสงสัยได้ 1 คน และสอบสวนว่าร่วมกับเพื่อนอีก 4 คน และมีการวางระเบิดในพื้นที่หัวหิน 11 จุด นั้น ข้อความดังกล่าว
***ตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์ ยืนยันว่าไม่เป็นความจริง ยังไม่มีการเชื่อมโยงข้อมูลใดๆทั้งสิ้น
*****ตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์ จึงขอทำความเข้าใจกับพี่น้องประชาชนอย่าหลงเชื่อข้อความดังกล่าวที่มีการส่งต่อๆกันมา หากมีความคืบหน้าหรือข้อมูลที่จำเป็นต้องแจ้งให้แก่พี่น้องประชาชน ทางตำรวจภูธรจังหวัดประจวบคีรีขันธ์จะทำการแจ้งหรือแถลงให้ทราบ เพื่อเป็นข้อมูลที่ถูกต้องในทิศทางเดียวกัน

Which poorly translates as:

The Police Phu Aurea Province, prachuap khiri khan. Let me get this straight with people's brothers from cases forwarding a message that an explosion in the area of hua hin. The police have arrested a suspect has 1 people and claims when asked about a friend 4 more people, and there's a bomb in the area of hua hin 11 points

*** the police phu Aurea Province, prachuap khiri khan. Can I confirm that the message that isn't true, the police still no arrest whoever

And on some pages, there's a link to claim that south bombing suspect arrested 1 people and questioned. That along with 4 other friends, and there's a bomb in the area of hua hin 11 points that this message.

*** the police phu Aurea Province, prachuap khiri skandha confirmed that isn't true, still no connection. Any information.

***** the police phu Aurea Province, prachuap khiri khan. So let me get this straight with brothers. People don't fall off this message that have passed on.. If there's an update or information that need to be alert for people's brothers police phu aurea Province, prachuap khiri khan. Will inform or e mail to know to be the correct information in the same direction.

Basically, I think they are saying, don't believe everything that is being reported on social media.

[JamesWest]

Thanks for the heads up. NOT.

Bit harsh. "We think there may be some attacks soon, but we don't know when, where or what..."
I can almost hear the howls of derision.

how about more police patroling Binabaht? Like maybe just one.

[JamesWest]

here is the AP story filed by the reporter in my photos talking to Expats in front of the City Beach Hotel:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... confidence

[oakdale160]

Sorry I gave misinfoabout KoSamui,a friend Emailed me to say that thaere had beena bombing on KS, I googled it but did not check the date. That bombing was in 2015

[hhinner]

Hua Hin Police have just issued the following statement: <snip>



Basically, I think they are saying, don't believe everything that is being reported on social media.

Also they say they haven't arrested any one either.

Only a matter of time before the sim cards' registrations lead them to the perpetrators though. [/sarcasm]

[Nereus]

Police announce situation returns to normal

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... -to-normal

13 Aug 2016 at 13:25
Police have said the situation has returned to normal all over the country with no reports of more incidents.

They also denied having caught any suspect related to the southern bombings and said preliminary evidence suggested it was not the escalation of a secessionist campaign in the three southernmost provinces.

On Saturday, there were unconfirmed reports two suspects had been detained for questioning following multiple bombings in seven southern provinces from Wednesday to Saturday that killed four and injured 35 people.

At a police videoconference on Sunday morning, deputy police chief Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen said authorities expected to finish processing evidence soon.

The evidence includes closed-circuit camera footage and DNA samples.

"It was reported earlier that we arrested suspects. In fact, we merely questioned some witnesses and have not detained anyone.
"We've collected DNA samples from the scenes and the results should be known and sent to investigators responsible for each crime scene on Sunday. We hope to seek arrest warrants soon," he said.

Based on the existing evidence, the violence was not a major expansion of the secessionist campaign that has been concentrated in Yala Pattani and Narathiwat and rarely targets foreigners, he said.

He said the types of bombs and the detonation methods of the incidents were similar and police believed the perpetrators were the same group of people working for a mastermind who provided them with the explosives.

"We believe the perpetrators are still in the country," he said.

He added police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda had said this time the network of the perpetrators would be completely uprooted and people would finally know who was behind these acts aimed at destroying the country."

The deputy police chief added the situation had returned to normal and there were no reports of possible recurring incidents.

"We assure the people they no longer need to worry and can travel and return homes. Immigration police reported there were no signs of threats at any of entry points and strict inspection is in place. There has been nothing unusual."
.......................................................................
One of the foreign TV programs last night screened a very fluent English speaking Thai policeman. Cannot recall his name, but very good to see the effort.

[hhinner]

" A source at the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry said the SIM cards in the mobile phones used to detonate the bombs were from Malaysia."

From http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... hub-horror

Wasn't the triggering of bombs in the south by mobile phone one of the original excuses for enforcing sim registration? Why don't criminals and terrorists play by the rules? It's just not fair!

[Big Boy]

I had a chuckle to myself at Pranburi Makro today. Because of heightened security, they were checking vehicles as they entered, and there was naturally a queue.

No problem I think, the delay was for the right reason. The truck in front had 4 large plastic boxes with lids in the back, so nobody could see what he was carrying. There were 2 guards doing the check - the only thing they did was checked the underside of the vehicle with mirrors. Absolutely no heed was paid to whatever the truck was carrying

Security is a joke - basically, everybody was being delayed, but for what reason? Anybody with half a brain would have spotted the weakness in the security checks.

Maybe I worked at secure establishments for too long where professionals applied strict security

[hhinner]

That's the same as they were doing at MV after the Bangkok bomb last year. You just can't check vehicles, because they have too many places a bomb could be concealed. Also, as far as I can remember there were no checks on people walking in. Those mirrors they use are only good for checking for bombs that could have been attached to a parked car by a third party.

[JamesWest]

OK this is my 60 kilometer motorcycle recon of Hua Hin area today.

Primary soft targets:
Train station. No police or extra security. Fail
Bus station. No police or extra security. Fail
Bangkok Hospital nothing. Fail
San Paulo Hospital. nothing. fail

Market Village. Just like after the Bangkok bombing, in the basement scooter parking area a man asks you to remove your helmet before you can enter. Never mind the 10 pounds of C4 under my seat. No doubt he has memorized the entire list of terrorist faces in Thailand. Fail
No visible increase of security inside MV. Fail.

The Binabaht bombing area was still taped off, the dead womans cart was gone, and workmen were cleaning up.
(very sad to see this womans life being swept up like it was nothing.)
Large number of police vehicles at HQ.
McDonalds. Nothing. Fail.
Burger King. Nothing. Fail.
Marriott and Intercontinental Hotels still checking vehicles outside the gate. passing grade.
No army anywhere in downtown HH.
No two man foot beat patrols. Fail.

But on the east end of Soi 112 from the traffic circle all the way out to the bypass road and north to Cha Am there were dozens upon dozens of cops lined up in the pouring rain for a VIP convoy entering HH from the south. Traffic was blocked at the flyover outbound to clear the highway in both directions for the inbound convoy.

Out on highway 1010 there was some cops running around and more vehicles parked in front of police stations.
Fail.

South bound into HH from 1010 nothing to see. No police to speak of.

Everything is back to "normal". Nothing to see here. You want massage?

So in other words, more theatre, dress up and pretend.

[Big Boy]

That's the same as they were doing at MV after the Bangkok bomb last year. You just can't check vehicles, because they have too many places a bomb could be concealed. Also, as far as I can remember there were no checks on people walking in. Those mirrors they use are only good for checking for bombs that could have been attached to a parked car by a third party.

So why bother at all? if somebody wanted to attack Makro, a 2 minute recon would tell any attacker enough. A half hearted attempt, does not make this member of the public feel any more at ease.

[JamesWest]

That's the same as they were doing at MV after the Bangkok bomb last year. You just can't check vehicles, because they have too many places a bomb could be concealed. Also, as far as I can remember there were no checks on people walking in. Those mirrors they use are only good for checking for bombs that could have been attached to a parked car by a third party.

So why bother at all? if somebody wanted to attack Makro, a 2 minute recon would tell any attacker enough. A half hearted attempt, does not make this member of the public feel any more at ease.

yes and like anyone with a truck bomb would stop or queue at the check point. it would be full speed into the entrance and let it rip. It's not like there are tank stops in front of anything in Thailand except the US Embassy.