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	<title>Khon Kaen &#187; bangkok</title>
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		<title>Thailand Terrorism Travel Alert Lifted By Four Countries</title>
		<link>http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand-terrorism-travel-alert-lifted-by-four-countries</link>
		<comments>http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand-terrorism-travel-alert-lifted-by-four-countries#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:14:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Thailand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Embassy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[atris hussein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bangkok]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bomb threat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hezbollah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ministry of foreign affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terrorist]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The American Embassy remains one of the bad guys by keeping their travel advisory active after suspected Hezbollah terrorist was captured two weeks ago. [...]<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand-terrorism-travel-alert-lifted-by-four-countries">Thailand Terrorism Travel Alert Lifted By Four Countries</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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<h1>The American Embassy remains one of the bad guys by keeping their travel advisory active after suspected Hezbollah terrorist was captured two weeks ago.</h1>
<h2>We haven&#8217;t heard anything in the past week from the Thai Police or anyone in the Thai Government as to what has happened to Atris Hussein or what the latest is in the pursuit of his fellow terrorist(s).</h2>
<p> <span id="more-6013"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_6014" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Terrorist-Bombing.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6014" title="Terrorist Bombing" src="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Terrorist-Bombing-300x180.jpg" alt="Terrorist Bombing" width="300" height="180" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Terrorist Bombing</p></div>
<h3>The Thai Government scored a minor victory on 20 January when China took down its terrorist travel advisory, but it was too late to save Chinese New Year tourism.</h3>
<p>In addition, France and Germany removed the advisory for Bangkok while maintaining warnings for the restive south.</p>
<p>The Bangkok Post reports in <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Four nations lift travel alerts" href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/277144/four-nations-lift-travel-alerts" target="_blank"><em>Four nations lift travel alerts</em></a>, that Israel completely removed it advisory, but the Jerusalem Post states otherwise in <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Counter Terrorism Bureau: Safe to visit Thailand" href="http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=255306" target="_blank"><em>Counter Terrorism Bureau: Safe to visit Thailand</em></a>, by lifting the advisory but still cautioning travelers.  Here is why:</p>
<blockquote><p>At the same time, the statement said, because of the possibility that there remains some <b>terrorist</b> infrastructure in <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thailand</a>, and in light of concern that Hezbollah will try to avenge the 2008 killing of Hezbollah&#8217;s shadowy commander Imad Muganiyah on the anniversary of his death on February 12,  Israelis traveling to the country are advised to exercise caution.</p></blockquote>
<p>The Nation reports basically the same, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Four countries withdraw warnings" href="http://nationmultimedia.com/national/Four-countries-withdraw-warnings-30174675.html" target="_blank"><em>Four countries withdraw warnings</em></a>, but states that there were a total of 18 countries that issued warnings, while the <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/bangkok_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Bangkok Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Bangkok</a> Post states there were 22.</p>
<p>Whether it is 22 or 18, is a moot point.  What matters is that the United States of America Embassy has yet to withdraw their advisory.</p>
<p>Both the Bangkok Post and The Nation have finally quoted someone of authority and gotten it right about the US Embassy emergency <i>terrorist</i> travel advisory:</p>
<p>Jesda Katavetin, deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry&#8217;s Information Department said:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;There is no advice against US citizens coming to Thailand.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>This is true.  The United States State Department never issued any <u>terrorist</u> travel advisory no matter how many times this was reported by the Thai Government.</p>
<p>And, no matter how many of the big-wig <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thai</a> Political honchos say that they are going to demand, protest, write, beg, or anything else, the American Embassy will lift the terrorist alert when the American Embassy feels it is safe for its citizens to do so.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand-terrorism-travel-alert-lifted-by-four-countries">Thailand Terrorism Travel Alert Lifted By Four Countries</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
<h4>Incoming search terms:</h4><ul><li><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand-terrorism-travel-alert-lifted-by-four-countries" title="18 countries with travel warnings on bangkok">18 countries with travel warnings on bangkok</a></li></ul>
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		<title>Minister Of Tourism And Sports Challenges American Ambassador In Bangkok</title>
		<link>http://www.khonkaen.ws/minister-of-tourism-and-sports-challenges-american-ambassador-in-bangkok</link>
		<comments>http://www.khonkaen.ws/minister-of-tourism-and-sports-challenges-american-ambassador-in-bangkok#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:57:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[TAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thailand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advisory]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Embassy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[atris hussein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bangkok]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bomb threat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chumpol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foreign tourist arrivals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristie Kenney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[minister of tourism and sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terrorist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thailand]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[For about one week now we have been told by the Thailand Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Chief of Police, and the [...]<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/minister-of-tourism-and-sports-challenges-american-ambassador-in-bangkok">Minister Of Tourism And Sports Challenges American Ambassador In Bangkok</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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<h1>For about one week now we have been told by the Thailand Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Chief of Police, and the Supreme Commander of the Army that &#8220;everything is under control&#8221;, &#8220;there is no need to panic&#8221;, and &#8220;all the terrorists have departed Thailand&#8221;.</h1>
<h2>The Big Cheeses have been silent the past couple of days leaving their underlings to insert their feet into their mouths over the bomb threat in Thailand.  But, we haven&#8217;t heard from the Thai Government Tourism Organizations &#8211; until yesterday.</h2>
<p><span id="more-5886"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_5887" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 284px"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Chumpol-Silpa-archa-Minister-of-Tourism-and-Sports.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5887" title="Chumpol Silpa-archa Minister of Tourism and Sports" src="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Chumpol-Silpa-archa-Minister-of-Tourism-and-Sports.jpg" alt="Chumpol Silpa-archa Thailand Minister of Tourism and Sports" width="274" height="220" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Chumpol Silpa-archa Minister of Tourism and Sports</p></div>
<h3>It had to happen. The Minister of Tourism and Sports (MOTS), Chumpol Silpa-archa is the first to fire a volley at the American Ambassador in Thailand, Kristie Kenney, over the emergency warning issued one week ago on Friday the 13th warning American citizens of the possibility of a bomb threat in Bangkok and to exercise caution if visiting touristy places like Khao San Road.</h3>
<p>A few days ago, the Prime Minister of <b>Thailand</b>, Yingluck Shinawatra, requested that the U.S. Government remove the warning since one suspected Hezbollah terrorist, Atris Hussein, had been captured and after interrogation, Mr. Hussein led the <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''"><i>Thailand</i></a> Police to a warehouse with over 4,000 kilograms of fertilizer and some ammonium nitrate &#8211; bomb making materials.</p>
<p>Mr. Hussein assured the <u>Thailand</u> Police that the warehouse was only used for storage and onward transit of bombs to other countries, and that Bangkok was not a target.  Unlike the Thailand Government, I don&#8217;t put much stock in what Mr. Hussein says.  Just yesterday he started claiming that he is totally innocent and that the Mossad planted the bomb making materials at his fan export storage warehouse.</p>
<p>So, since none of this bullshit news has helped convince foreign tourists that Bangkok, Thailand is safe to travel to, Khun Chumpol has decided to take matters into his own hands.  He got up the balls last night to visit Khao San Road, under heavy Thai Police escort, to assure the backpackers that everything was OK.  I am sure that his words fell on deaf ears.</p>
<p>But, Khun Chumpol has a master plan to force the American Ambassador in Bangkok to remove the warning that <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/bangkok_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Bangkok Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Bangkok</a> is a possible terrorist target &#8211; Khun Chumpol will form a committee.  I know that Ambassador Kenney is shaking in her boots!</p>
<p>From the Bangkok Post, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Police hunt second terrorist" href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/275872/police-hunt-second-terrorist-suspect" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Police hunt second terrorist</em></a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Mr Chumpol planned to set up a committee to find ways to deal with any problems if the US refuses to revoke its travel warning, Mr Watchara said.</p></blockquote>
<p>Mr. Chumpol can do whatever he wants and it will have no affect on the Thailand travel warning.  This is the same guy that proclaimed during the 2011 floods in Thailand &#8220;the flooding is having no real impact on the tourism sector&#8221; and guess what &#8211; he is saying the same thing about the bomb threat travel advisories.  From the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thai</a> Financial Post, <a title="Chumpol believes terror alert will not affect Thai tourism" href="http://thaifinancialpost.com/2012/01/19/chumpol-believes-terror-alert-will-not-affect-thai-tourism/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Chumpol believes terror alert will not affect tourism</em></a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports Chumpol Silapa-archa has expressed confidence that the US’s terror alert will not damage Thai tourism, citing steady growth in tourist arrivals and revenue.</p></blockquote>
<p>Khun Chumpol was totally wrong about the impact during the floods as tourism sank in October, November, and December.  The December numbers must be horrendous as the Department of Tourism has yet to post them on their official web site.</p>
<p>The bomb threat warning will definitely have a serious impact on tourism no matter what Chumpol says.  I am sure that many Chinese have canceled their plans to visit Bangkok during Chinese New Year.</p>
<p>But, Chumpol will save tourism in Thailand with his almighty committee.  He will do what the Prime Minister was unable to accomplish.  I can see it now.  When the American Embassy and the U.S. Government has determined it prudent to remove the warning, they will.  And, Chumpol and his committee will take the credit and announce that tourist arrivals in Bangkok, Thailand have broken all previous records.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/minister-of-tourism-and-sports-challenges-american-ambassador-in-bangkok">Minister Of Tourism And Sports Challenges American Ambassador In Bangkok</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
<h4>Incoming search terms:</h4><ul><li><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/minister-of-tourism-and-sports-challenges-american-ambassador-in-bangkok" title="ministry of tourism and sport bangkok police">ministry of tourism and sport bangkok police</a></li></ul>
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		<title>Was Bangkok The Hezbollah Bomb Target?</title>
		<link>http://www.khonkaen.ws/was-bangkok-the-hezbollah-bomb-target</link>
		<comments>http://www.khonkaen.ws/was-bangkok-the-hezbollah-bomb-target#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:28:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[TAT]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[The Thai Government continues to remain in denial that Bangkok was not the target of Hezbollah terrorists.  At lest they continue to deny that [...]<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/was-bangkok-the-hezbollah-bomb-target">Was Bangkok The Hezbollah Bomb Target?</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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<h1>The Thai Government continues to remain in denial that Bangkok was not the target of Hezbollah terrorists.  At lest they continue to deny that Bangkok was the target mainly to ease the worries of potential foreign tourists.</h1>
<h2>You have certainly heard the expression &#8220;Actions speak louder than words&#8221;.  Well, in this case, &#8220;Actions speak louder than lies from the Thai Government about Bomb Threats in Bangkok&#8221;.</h2>
<p><span id="more-5868"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_5869" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Yingluck-Bangkok-Flood.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5869" title="Yingluck Bangkok Flood" src="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Yingluck-Bangkok-Flood-300x200.jpg" alt="Bangkok Floods and Bomb Threats" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Yingluck Bangkok Flood</p></div>
<h3>For the past week, the Thai Government in Bangkok, has been trying to assure locals and foreign tourists alike that there is absolutely no bomb threat in Bangkok.  Assurances have come from the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Chief of Police, and the Royal Thai Army Commander.  All the assurances are to help the tourism industry and slam the American Embassy for posting an emergency warning on Friday the 13th, 2012.</h3>
<p>Even after a suspected Hezbollah terrorist, Atris Hussein, was captured and led Thai Police in <b>Bangkok</b> to a warehouse in nearby Samut Sakhon that contained over 4,000 kilograms or Bomb making fertilizer and ammonium nitrate, the Thai Government still wants the world to believe that there is no danger in visiting <i>Bangkok</i>.  What the Thai Government hasn&#8217;t mentioned, is that <u>Bangkok</u> was the target.</p>
<p>The Thai Government is trying to get the world to believe that the Hezbollah terrorists only used the warehouse for storage and shipment of the bombs outside of Thailand.  But, a report from DebkaFile and areas that are still being watched in Bangkok will make you think twice.</p>
<p>The DebkaFile article, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.debka.com/article/21654" rel="nofollow">Hizballah planned Mumbai-style attack on Habad Bangkok, Khao San restaurants</a>, indicated that Khao San Road in Bangkok was one of the targets since it has a Jewish Community Center, Chabad of Thailand, located there.  It is an area that many young backpackers, including folks from Israel, hang out.  The Bangkok Post cited this article a couple of days ago, but I haven&#8217;t seen anything anywhere else since.</p>
<p>Unless you look at the areas in Bangkok that the Thai Police are still protecting with heightened awareness.</p>
<p>From The Nation today, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="US embassy maintains terror threat warning on its website" href="http://nationmultimedia.com/national/US-embassy-maintains-terror-threat-warning-on-its--30174050.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>US embassy maintains terror threat warning on its website</em></a>, here is where in Bangkok that the Thai Police are &#8220;still keeping a close watch&#8221;:</p>
<blockquote><p>The police, meanwhile, are still keeping a close watch on three spots in Bangkok &#8211; Rambutri, Sukhumvit 22 and Khao San roads. &#8220;We will continue to prevent and suppress [terror attacks],&#8221; Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Winai Thongsong said yesterday.</p></blockquote>
<p>From the National News Bureau of Thailand, Public Relations Department, <span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Tourism figure not dropping despite terror alert" href="http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255501180034" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Tourism figure not dropping despite terror alert</em></a>:</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span> Chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) Sittiwat Cheevarattanaporn stated that the news of possible terrorist attacks in Thailand has produced serious impact on the tourism sector. Travel agents have been forced to relocate their clients, particularly Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese visitors, to other locations outside the risky zones of Khao San Road, Bang Lamphu and Soi Sukhumvit 22, after travel advisories were issued by the governments of their respective countries. </span></p></blockquote>
<p>When the Thai Government first stepped up security in Bangkok at Sukhumvit and Soi 22, I was confused.  I understood Khao San Road as it is a very popular place particularly with younger folks &#8211; mainly backpackers.  But, Soi 22?  The article in DebkaFile explained it.  The areas that the Thai Police are still keeping an eagle-eye on, even though there supposedly is absolutely no threat to Bangkok, are the locations of Jewish Community Centers and the only kosher restaurant in Bangkok.</p>
<p>From the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Bangkok Jewish Thailand" href="http://www.jewishthailand.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/913059/jewish/Bangkok.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bangkok-Jewish Thailand</a> web site there is a list of three Jewish Community Centers;</p>
<p>BETH ELISHEVA SYNAGOGUE, MIKVEH &amp; JEWISH CENTER  located on Sukhumvit and Soi 22.  From their web site:</p>
<blockquote><p>Located in the financial, shopping and entertainment hub of Bangkok, Beth Elisheva is the city&#8217;s oldest existent synagogue. Overseen by the Jewish Association of Thailand, it functions as the spiritual and social nucleus of Bangkok&#8217;s Jewish community of businessmen, financial advisors and expatriate entrepreneurs making the <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thai</a> capital their home.</p>
<p>High holidays draw hundreds of worshippers. In addition, weekly Shabbat dinners at the residence of Rabbi Yosef Kantor have become popular venues for city residents to meet up in a friendly and welcoming environment. Holidaymakers and Jewish professionals on business in the city also often drop by.</p>
<p>Yosef and Nechama Kantor cordially welcome Jewish visitors to their home for Shabbat dinners, while lunches are served in the synagogue&#8217;s social hall.</p>
<p>Shabbat dinners are preceded by a prayer service in the adjacent synagogue and follow the traditional candle lighting ceremony. Please be advised that an RSVP requirement generally applies for most Shabbat dinners.</p>
<p>Home of the Jewish Association of Thailand</p></blockquote>
<p>OHR MENACHEM CHABAD HOUSE located on Ram Buttri Rd. (just behind Khao San)</p>
<blockquote><p>Chabad of <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thailand</a> opened its first center on Khao San Rd. in 1994. Six years later, in September 2001, Chabad House relocated to its current location on 96 Ram Buttri Rd. (just behind Khao San). The five-story Ohr Menachem building houses an 800 people-capacity community hall, a 150 people-capacity synagogue, as well as a kosher restaurant.</p>
<p>Bangkok&#8217;s Khao San Road, a miscellaneous cavalcade of Eastern and Western trends and fads, is a world-famous backpacker haunt. Originally a simple soi with low-priced guesthouses, cheap restaurants and curbside vendors&#8217; stalls, Khao San Rd. has spilled out into several neighboring streets, so the today it encompasses an ever-growing, largely self-contained neighborhood. The area has become decidedly upmarket in the process with several upscale hotels and eateries attracting a more discerning clientele beyond regular backpackers traveling on a shoestring.</p>
<p>Khao San Rd. is especially popular with young Israeli travelers, most of whom are just past their exacting army services and embarking on what many of them consider to be a must-do rite of passage: strenuous months-long tours around Southeast Asia and India. Tens of thousands of young Israelis pass through Thailand &#8212; and Khao San Rd. &#8212; each year on their way to and from travel destinations across the region.</p>
<p>Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm, who has been supervising the center&#8217;s operations for a decade, has become something of a legend with young Israeli travelers: backpackers often arrive in Thailand with his name and address ready in hand to seek the comforts of Chabad House&#8217;s island of homey familiarity in a foreign ocean of oriental exotica.</p>
<p>Any day of the week hundreds of Israeli backpackers, in between their upcountry travels, visit Khao San&#8217;s Chabad House to meet up with friends, exchange travel tips, take authentic Israeli meals, do their email, and call back home. Whereas many of them are on spiritual quests to immerse themselves in the mysteries of oriental philosophies and religious practices, they generally prove themselves more than receptive to Judaism. Ironically, many young Israelis, leading nonobservant lives at home, discover the depths of their ancestral faith in Bangkok.</p>
<p>Above all, Chabad on Khao San Rd. strives to repay the trust young Israeli travelers repose in us. The vagaries of lengthy travel off the beaten tourist path sometimes leave wayfarers in need of financial and other help. Chabad House operates a message board and phone service for young Jewish backpackers to notify friends and loved ones of their doings as well as to transfer or receive funds. Free internet service is available at the premises, and if need be Rabbi Wilhelm and his helpers will come to the aid of any Jewish tourist in need (as happened after the tragic tsunami on 26 December 2004, when Chabad of Thailand was among the very first aid agencies to offer assistance and relief to victims.)</p>
<p>Shabbat dinners are very popular with Israeli backpackers staying on Khao San Rd., with 150 and 200 of them turning up for candle lighting every week.</p></blockquote>
<p>There is also a kosher restaurant located at the Jewish Community Center at Khao San Road:</p>
<blockquote><p>For a city with such a small permanent Jewish community we are</span> blessed with a very fine kosher restaurant. The kosher restaurant located at the Chabad House is the only Kosher restaurant in Bangkok.</p>
<p>Managed by Yossi Goldberg, this restaurant boasts a menu containing the full range of kosher food – vegetarian, fish, chicken and meat. It is from this restaurant that all kosher food in Bangkok is catered. For a small additional fee, the restaurant will deliver food to your hotel. Keeping with Chabad of Thailand&#8217;s policy of providing kosher food in Thailand at the same price as equivalent non-kosher food, meals at the restaraunt are inexpensive. This enables travelers of all budgets to eat kosher food and avail themselves of the Chabad House&#8217;s catering services.</p></blockquote>
<p>There is another Jewish location n Bangkok listed on the web site but I have not seen where security has been stepped up:</p>
<p>EVEN CHEN SYNAGOGUE located at <span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Chao Phya Office Tower 4th Floor (Attached to the Shangri-La Hotel) Soi Charoenkrung 42\1 New Rd (Silom Rd. area), <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/bangkok_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Bangkok Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Bangkok</a>, Thailand</p>
<p>This may be too difficult a target to hit compared to the other areas that are easily accessible by vehicles and are at street level.</p>
<p>So, you tell me.  Do we believe the Thai Government and their assurances that everything is under control in Bangkok and that there is no need to panic?  Do we believe the suspected Hezbollah terrorist who told the Thai Police that Hezbollah has/had no intention to blow up anything in Bangkok?  Or do we believe our own eyes and ears when the Thai Government continues to beef up security at areas in Bangkok that are favorite hangouts for Israelis and Western tourists?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/was-bangkok-the-hezbollah-bomb-target">Was Bangkok The Hezbollah Bomb Target?</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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		<title>Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Telling Tourism Lies</title>
		<link>http://www.khonkaen.ws/suvarnabhumi-airport-director-telling-tourism-lies</link>
		<comments>http://www.khonkaen.ws/suvarnabhumi-airport-director-telling-tourism-lies#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[The Director of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand is following the Thai Government party line in a feeble attempt to ease foreign [...]<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/suvarnabhumi-airport-director-telling-tourism-lies">Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Telling Tourism Lies</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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<h1>The Director of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand is following the Thai Government party line in a feeble attempt to ease foreign tourists&#8217; fears of a bomb threat in Bangkok.</h1>
<h2>After Thailand tourism took a serious hit during the 2011 floods, the bomb threat warning from the American Embassy in Bangkok, and later other countries, will also take a big bite out of tourism revenue despite what the Thai Government says.</h2>
<p><span id="more-5853"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_5864" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suvarnabhumi-International-Airport-Bangkok2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5864" title="Suvarnabhumi International Airport Bangkok" src="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suvarnabhumi-International-Airport-Bangkok2-300x199.jpg" alt="Suvarnabhumi International Airport Bangkok" width="300" height="199" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Suvarnabhumi International Airport Bangkok</p></div>
<h3>Ever since the American Embassy in Bangkok issued it terror alert warning on Friday, January 13, 2012, the Thai Government has been scrambling to get the message out that &#8220;Everything is under control&#8221;, There is no need to panic&#8221;, There are no terrorists in Thailand&#8221;, and &#8220;Bangkok is not a terrorist target&#8221;.  The <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thai</a> Government obviously cares more about tourism than the war on terrorism.</h3>
<p>Initially it was the Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra and her Deputy PM, Chalerm, later joined by the Foreign Minister Surapong and the Chief of Police (and Thaksin&#8217;s brother-in-law) in berating the United States Embassy for putting out a warning and then refusing to remove it once a lone terrorist suspect, Atris Hussein, was captured.  All the earlier lies and denials are coming back to haunt the Thai Government.</p>
<p>After about 4 days of this political bullshit, the folks at the top have realized their futility and have clammed up leaving the false assurance and predictions of safety in <b>Bangkok</b> to their underlings.</p>
<p>Now, the private sector is starting to chime in to back up the bullshit from the Thai Government.  And, like the Thai Government, it is all lies, smoke and mirrors.</p>
<p><span>Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Somchai Sawasdipol</span>, in an article from the Thai Government Official online news media source &#8211; National News Bureau of Thailand, Public Relations Department, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Tourism figure not dropping despite terror alert " href="http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255501180034" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Tourism figure not dropping despite terror alert</em></a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><span> Mr. Somchai insisted that the number of flights and tourists arriving in Thailand has not fallen. He said an average of 1,000 inbound flights continue to land at Suvarnabhumi Airport while approximately 150,000-160,000 tourist arrivals are being recorded on a daily basis. </span></p></blockquote>
<p>Mr. Somchai is full of shit.  Using his numbers of &#8220;tourist arrivals&#8221;, Thailand would have 4.5 million foreign tourist arrivals per month and 54 million per year. Even the Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand don&#8217;t lie that much.</p>
<p>One of the people I follow on Twitter is narongchaiAOT, a guy that works for the Airports of Thailand (AOT).  Every day he tweets the TOTAL number of arrivals and departures, total flights, and total weight of cargo.  Here is his latest tweet:</p>
<blockquote><p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/narongchaiAOT" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/1343444575/image_normal.jpg" alt="narongchai" data-user-id="141817604" /></a><br />
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="narongchai" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/narongchaiAOT" rel="nofollow" data-user-id="141817604">@narongchaiAOT</a> narongchai</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>17/01/12 BKK movements ; Passenger arr 75,256 dep 72,712 ; Aircraft arr 487 dep 490 ; Freight arr 1,885 tons dep 2,412 tons</p></blockquote>
<p>Seventy-five thousand TOTAL arrivals which includes foreign and domestic, in-transit, tourists and business folks.  You can roughly figure that 40% of the TOTAL arrivals are tourists &#8211; which brings it down to about 30,000 foreign tourist arrivals &#8211; NOT 150,000-160,000.  Mr. Somchai seems to have added flight arrivals and departures to get his number of &#8220;1,000 inbound flights&#8221;.  More lies.</p>
<p>Here are the numbers of TOTAL arrivals so far for the month of January 2012:</p>
<blockquote>
<table width="326" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="143" height="17">1/1/2012</td>
<td width="183">70,346</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/2/2012</td>
<td>83,388</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/3/2012</td>
<td>90,175</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/4/2012</td>
<td>84,552</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/5/2012</td>
<td>82,577</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/6/2012</td>
<td>79,078</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/7/2012</td>
<td>78,539</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/8/2012</td>
<td>82,413</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/9/2012</td>
<td>74,799</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/10/2012</td>
<td>73,201</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/11/2012</td>
<td>72,188</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/12/2012</td>
<td>74,160</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/13/2012</td>
<td>78,882</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/14/2012</td>
<td>76,582</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/15/2012</td>
<td>80,838</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/16/2012</td>
<td>78,244</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="17">1/17/2012</td>
<td>75,256</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</blockquote>
<p>You can see that the number of TOTAL arrivals in <i>Bangkok</i> has been around the mid 70K&#8217;s to low 80K.  The numbers of <u>Bangkok</u> arrivals after Friday the 13th have not significantly dropped, but, remember that the warning was issued the afternoon of the 13th (<a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thailand</a> time) and wasn&#8217;t really picked up by other embassies in <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/bangkok_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Bangkok Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Bangkok</a> until after the suspected Hezbollah terrorist, Atris Hussein, led the Thai Police to the stash of urea and ammonium nitrate (bomb making fertilizer) on Monday the 16th. It looks like the numbers may be going down after the 16th of January &#8211; only time will tell.</p>
<p>Also, there wasn&#8217;t much in media, other than an Associated Press article, all weekend long.  Once the stash of bomb making materials was located just outside Bangkok, it became bigger news.  Hardly enough time for folks to cancel travel plans.</p>
<p>Now that the news is all over the globe, and the possibility that Khao San Road in Bangkok was one of  the targets, you can expect the numbers of foreign tourist arrivals to sink.</p>
<p>If only the Thai Government and the private sector in Bangkok would learn to be up front and honest about what is going on instead of telling lies, covering up, and relying on damage control, they wouldn&#8217;t have this much of a problem.</p>
<p>But, the Thai Government in Bangkok is more concerned about tourism &#8211; not terrorism.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/suvarnabhumi-airport-director-telling-tourism-lies">Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Telling Tourism Lies</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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		<title>Left Wing Loons Doubt Bangkok Bomb Threat</title>
		<link>http://www.khonkaen.ws/left-wing-loons-doubt-bangkok-bomb-threat</link>
		<comments>http://www.khonkaen.ws/left-wing-loons-doubt-bangkok-bomb-threat#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:16:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Activists, Academics and so-called Pundits are towing the Thai Government party line casting doubt over the Bangkok Bomb Threat and slamming the American Embassy [...]<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/left-wing-loons-doubt-bangkok-bomb-threat">Left Wing Loons Doubt Bangkok Bomb Threat</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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<h1>Activists, Academics and so-called Pundits are towing the Thai Government party line casting doubt over the Bangkok Bomb Threat and slamming the American Embassy for issuing an emergency warning on 13 January 2012.</h1>
<h2>These left wing knuckleheads don&#8217;t have a clue as to what goes on in the rest of the world and only chime in to try to rescue the Thai Government and their failed attempt at handling the suspected Hezbollah terrorist, Atris Hussein.  This is about tourism instead of terrorism.</h2>
<p><span id="more-5842"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_5843" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 240px"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/truck-bomb.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5843" title="Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device truck bomb" src="http://www.khonkaen.ws/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/truck-bomb.jpg" alt="Thai Government" width="230" height="180" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device truck bomb</p></div>
<h3>The Bangkok Post has published a very one-sided, no facts checked, opinionated article from folks that claim to be &#8220;experts&#8221; in foreign affairs.  They, like the Thai Government are oh, so, wrong.</h3>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Pundits castdoubts over Bangkok terror claims" href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/275600/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Pundits castdoubts over Bangkok terror claims</em></a>, along with being spelled incorrectly, is the latest effort by friends of the <b>Thai Government</b> to help people forget that they came this close to a major disaster that would have had a serious impact on tourism.</p>
<blockquote><p>Activists and academics have raised doubts over the credibility of terrorism threats in Thailand.</p></blockquote>
<p>Where have these idiots been the last 4-5 days?  There was a terror threat issued by the US Embassy in <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/bangkok_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Bangkok Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Bangkok</a>, Atris Hussein was captured and led <i>Thai Government</i> Officials to a warehouse with 4,000 kilograms of bomb making material, and the DebkaFile (much more reliable source of Middle East info than the Bangkok Post), reports that the target was <a title="Hizballah planned Mumbai-style attack on Habad Bangkok, Khao San restaurants" href="http://www.debka.com/article/21654/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Khao San Road</em></a>.</p>
<blockquote><p>Palestine Solidarity Thailand chairman Stuart Ward said the recent commotion over the arrest of Lebanese terror suspect Hussein Atris at Suvarnabhumi airport last Thursday had led to suspicion and worry that this was a case of Islamophobia _ hatred or irrational fear of Islam or Muslims _ in this region.</p></blockquote>
<p>You have got to be kidding me.  Islamophobia?  How about conspiracy to commit a terrorist act on foreign soil?  There are enough explosives in that warehouse to have taken out all of Khao San Road.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m tired of any plot to sabotage the ground we&#8217;ve gained in the understanding and support of Muslims worldwide towards the course of Palestine independence,&#8221; Mr Ward said. &#8220;I think it is the US and its ally&#8217;s propaganda [that has led to] people in this region growing doubtful of Muslims.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, considering it is primarily Muslims that conduct the terrorist activities, what are we supposed to believe?  Granted, there are more good Muslims than bad, but this is NOT propaganda.  This is reality.  The bad guys, the Hezbollah terrorists, planned to blow up a Jewish Community Center and anything else on Khao San Road.  <u>Thai Government</u> party line.</p>
<blockquote><p>Peace advocate and American professor Stephen Zunes said he was &#8220;amazed and suspicious&#8221; about the news of the Hezbollah terrorist suspect.</p></blockquote>
<p>Guess that Mr. Zunes lives in a glass bubble and doesn&#8217;t read the daily news or what the Thai Government has said.  There are terrorist attacks almost daily in Southern <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thailand</a>.  Why &#8220;amazed and suspicious&#8221;?</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;This is not their style; Hezbollah has hardly attacked US interests outside Lebanon. And why Bangkok?&#8221; said Dr Zunes at a Thammasat University seminar on &#8220;The Future of Arab Spring: Illusion or Reality&#8221;.</p></blockquote>
<p>Why Bangkok?  Hmmmmm.  Let&#8217;s see.  If a bomb was detonated at a location that had hundreds or thousands of foreigners, western and/or Jewish, wouldn&#8217;t this instill some fear?  The plan was to attack Khao San Road, a Jewish Community Center there, restaurants and bars.  Remember Bali?  Forget it &#8211; just listen to the Thai Government for your propaganda.</p>
<blockquote><p>Dr Zunes also rejected the notion that it was perhaps an American ploy to regain its influence in the region with the terrorism sabotage issue.</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, at least Mr. Zunes got this part correct.  Terrorism is a Global Threat.  Thailand is not immune.  The Thai Government has yet to comment on this absurdity.</p>
<blockquote><p>The Israeli embassy in Bangkok remained quiet on the matter, not taking phone calls while the Swedish embassy referred media inquiries to Stockholm due to the sensitivity of the issue.</p></blockquote>
<p>Maybe, unlike the <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/thailand_hotels" style="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='Thailand Hotels';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">Thai</a> Government, they don&#8217;t want to make ridiculous predictions.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #000000;">Deputy prime minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong yesterday said the government wanted to reassure people that Thailand is not a target of terrorism.</span></p></blockquote>
<p>But, they are regardless of what the Thai Government says.  Another trying to ease the tourism damage.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;We are confident the country is not at risk [of being a target],&#8221; he said.</p></blockquote>
<p>You need to read the article at DebkaFile.  Khao San Road was THE TARGET.  Don&#8217;t believe the Thai Government.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;International tourists continue to visit Thailand and the country remains a popular tourist destination.</p></blockquote>
<p>Not with the mismanagement by the Thai Government of the 2011 floods and now the total screwed-up handling of this terrorist plot.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;The public should not be worried as the government has measures in place to cope with this problem.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>HAHAHA.  The Thai Government couldn&#8217;t locate a terrorist if he was standing right in front of them.  The Thai Government measure to cope with terrorists is to deport them and not tell anyone so that they don&#8217;t scare away tourist dollars.</p>
<blockquote><p>Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government should attempt to restore the United States&#8217; confidence in Thai security operations and demand the US revoke its travel warning for American citizens.</p></blockquote>
<p>Khun Abhisit and more Thai Government political rhetoric.  The travel warning is from the US Embassy, not the US State Department &#8211; you can demand all you want, the American Embassy has an obligation to warn its people.  It will take a lot of doing to get the US confidence resrtored in Thai security operations since they appear to be non-existent.</p>
<blockquote><p>Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said yesterday the police seizure of the bomb-making materials in Samut Sakhon was a police set-up.</p></blockquote>
<p>And where does Khun Chavanond get his information?  The Thai Government? The Thai Police place 4,000 kilograms of bomb making material in a Samut Sakhon warehouse to set up Atris Hussein?  Facts would be nice and an investigative report instead of parroting Thai Government Officials would be even better.</p>
<blockquote><p>Mr Chavanond said it was widely known among residents that it was actually police who rented the commercial building in the Mahachai area and the fertilisers and the ammonium nitrate had been kept there for &#8220;quite some time&#8221;.</p></blockquote>
<p>More hearsay from the Thai Government.  Show me the proof if it is so widely known.</p>
<p>All this is, is more attempts to attack the American Embassy verbally and try to help a failing tourism industry.  Another fail from the Thai Government.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws/left-wing-loons-doubt-bangkok-bomb-threat">Left Wing Loons Doubt Bangkok Bomb Threat</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.khonkaen.ws">Khon Kaen</a></p>
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