Bangkok terrorism alert a face-losing embarrassment by Thai government (updated Jan 20, 2012)

Posted on January 18, 2012 by
Screen shot 2012-01-19 at 2.19.26 AM

This story was updated at 15:15 Jan 20, 2012 Edited text in blue type This story was updated at 09:30 Jan 19, 2012. Edited text in green type A Bangkok terrorism alert issued by the American embassy in Bangkok and at least 14 other nations which has been continually downplayed and criticized by Thailand officials is gaining credibility day-by-day, while proving to be an increasingly face-losing embarrassment for the country and its political leaders. A report today by the highly respected award-winning intelligence and security news service Debkafile adds additional credibility to the Bangkok terrorism alert, claiming Hezbollah planned to explode a bomb at Bet Habad Bangkok, mimicking al Qaeda’s 2008 attack in Mumbai which killed 8 Israelis, while up to two other terrorism cells were to strike simultaneously in the “Khao San Road restaurants popular with Israelis and Americans”, repeating the catastrophic 2002 Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people. (Ed: A Chabad house is a center for disseminating Orthodox Judaism) The Debkafile says Lebanese nationals living in Bangkok were approached to support the Bangkok terrorism spree, but … Continue reading →

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Thaksin royal pardon has Thailand coup watchers on alert as the 9s line up again

Posted on November 18, 2011 by
Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on the campaign trail at Sara Buri - testing times ahead with royal decree application to pardon brother Thaksin. Photo: Courtesy PTP

After just 106 days in office the coming days promise to be a tense period for the government of Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร), with conditions approaching ideal for the Royal Thai Army (กองทัพบกไทย) to mount the country’s 19th coup d’état since absolute monarchy rule was abolished 79 years ago. Already the subject of strong public criticism over the way in which her government has handled the 2011 Thailand flood, public anger at the government’s plan to request a royal pardon for prisoners, including her disgraced older brother fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (ทักษิณ ชินวัตร), is drawing heated condemnation from those opposed to the disgraced former leader’s return. Royal pardon discussion on back of blatant lie The royal pardon was first discussed by members of the cabinet in Ms Yingluck’s absence on Tuesday, November 15, after the public and media were fed a blatant lie that the PM was stranded in Sing Buri, 140km (87 miles) north of Bangkok, the evening before because the helicopter she was using to inspect the continuing 2011 Thailand flood was incapable … Continue reading →

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2011 Thailand flood could be more destructive than Asian Economic Crisis

Posted on October 22, 2011 by
The 2011 Thailand flood could be more devastating than the 1997-98 Asian Economic Crisis

This story was updated at 10:33 Nov 9, 2011. Edited text in green type For the second consecutive weekend residents of Bangkok have been alerted to prepare for wide-spread flooding as an estimated 12 billion cubic meters (12 trillion liters / 3.17 trillion gallons) of water from months of rain in Thailand’s central and northern provinces rushes towards the Gulf of Thailand in what has come to be known as the 2011 Thailand flood crisis. While the government of recently elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has attempted to put on a brave face, the lack of ministerial experience, along with old political rivalries, have done little to ease the situation with the destruction left in the wake of the 2011 Thailand flood threatening to be more severe than the early stages of the 1997-98 Asian Economic Crisis. When the Asian Economic Crisis hit Thailand in 1997 the country was still heavily reliant on its agriculture industry and while it remains the largest industry for employment and Thailand remains the world’s largest exporter of rice and rubber and the second-largest exporter … Continue reading →

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Chiang Mai tourist death probe finds no common link – PR campaign launched to protect tourism industry

Posted on August 17, 2011 by
Final report into the deaths of five foreign tourists and one Thai tourist guide in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Improper handling of pathology samples and limited cooperation by relatives are blamed by Thailand authorities for scientists on four continents being unable to determine a causative agent or a common factor linking the deaths of five tourists and a Thai tourist guide in the Northern City of Chiang Mai earlier this year. After five months of investigation and thousands of laboratory tests the investigative panel formed to probe the Chiang Mai tourist death cluster yesterday handed down a report that raises more questions than it answers, while at the same time announcing a raft of new initiatives to protect the region and country’s precious tourism industry from dangers that it says weren’t responsible for the deaths of tourists in Chiang Mai earlier this year. The investigation panel was established to examine the cause of deaths of: Soraya Pandola (age 33) who died on January 11, 2011 and her Canadian colleague (age 29) who fell ill An unnamed French woman (age 25) who died on January 19, 2011 Waraporn Pungmahisiranon (age 47), a Thai tourist guide, who died on February 3, 2011 … Continue reading →

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War of words over Chiang Mai tourist deaths report

Posted on August 15, 2011 by
60 Minutes New Zealand report on the Chiang Mai tourist deaths

When New Zealand 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Hall wrapped her arms around a tearful Emma Carter in the final seconds of its To die for episode on the death of her daughter Sarah Carter while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai, Thailand earlier this year, few people could be forgiven for thinking that the evidence was overwhelming that chlorpyrifos poisoning was to blame, and Chiang Mai authorities were guilty of a sinister cover-up. However, while 60 Minutes was careful to use the word “theory” twice in the programme, statements by its expert, scientist Dr Ron McDowall, in the final minutes of the programme that the symptoms exhibited by Ms Carter prior to her death “perfectly” fitted with chlorpyrifos poisoning, left little room for doubt in most peoples minds. On this newsblog and other websites a number of people were quick to point out that the tiny amounts of chlorpyrifos found in swabs taken from the room by Ms. Hall – 0.10 micrograms per million – were insufficient to kill, and that for death to occur via skin absorption … Continue reading →

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