Govt move to limit fall out on terror

After Chalerm's chaotic response, officials say situation under control, criticise US alert as hasty

The Yingluck government yesterday appeared to adjust its public relations strategy involving terrorism threats, after concerns arose that Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's hasty remarks in the wake of the latest US warning could have made things worse.

Government leaders yesterday held a press conference to allay the anxieties, saying security authorities were on top of the situation to ensure the country remains a safe tourist destination.

The press conference was organised after Chalerm's off-the-cuff remarks prompted fears they could backfire to fuel terrorist activities.

"Security officials, such as those from the police, the military and intelligence agencies, have been monitoring the situation and it is not their duty to reveal whether any suspicious individuals are travelling through Thailand," Deputy Prime Minister Kowit Wattana said, arguing that hasty disclosure would have caused unwarranted concern.

Kowit appeared to downplay Chalerm's comments regarding the police interview of a Lebanese man as a person of interest.

Kowit said that at this juncture, the government and officials could keep the situation under control - and there was no cause for concern that Bangkok could be a target for an international terrorist attack.

Echoing Kowit, Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said intelligence and security agencies had been alerted to possible Hezbollah activities last month.

Authorities did not arrest a man considered suspicious because it was deemed futile to take him into custody before evidence of a crime became clear, Yuthasak said.

"Thai intelligence and security officials had an understanding with their Israeli and American counterparts that the situation would be monitored in a discreet manner so as not to stir unwarranted anxiety," he said.

The US Embassy's no-nonsense warning on its home page on Friday - that US citizens in Thailand faced a serious, immediate terrorist threat - prompted a swift, albeit somewhat confusing, denial from the Yingluck government. It is the first dent in a seemingly smooth bilateral relationship since the changing of the political guard in Thailand after last year's election.

Yuthasak reprimanded the United States for making a unilateral disclosure in a travel warning wrongly pinpointing Bangkok as a potential terrorist target.

The US had acted in panic because of a mistaken suspicion an attack was poised to happen on January 13-15 and its action adversely impacted on Thailand, he said.

"I would like to confirm that Thailand is [not] a terrorist target," he said. Although terrorist suspects might have maintained activities in Bangkok, which is known in security jargon as a soft target, they were taking advantage of Thailand's free society, rather than staging an attack on the country, he said.

All suspicious individuals had departed Thailand and any attempts to stir up trouble had been foiled, he said.

He said the initial alert about a terrorist plot mentioned two individuals. One was detained after officials located him via his use of the Internet. Another fled the country.

The detained man told police about the Hezbollah plot. After giving his statement, he was deported. The man was identified as Hussein Artris, a Lebanese man holding a Swedish passport, according to Israel News.

His fugitive accomplice was believed to be Naim Haris, a Hezbollah operative.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul denied speculation his ministry would summon and lodge a protest with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney.

Surapong said he had voiced his disappointment that the US did not consult the Thai government before issuing the travel warning but did not mention a protest.

At the prime minister's instruction, he would today launch an awareness campaign that the terrorist anxiety was unwarranted, he said, adding his ministry would also clarify the true situation with foreign governments. Some 14 countries had already alerted their citizens about the potential terrorist attack.

Government House officials said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was displeased that Chalerm had gone overboard in disclosing sensitive details about international terrorism.

Chalerm was curiously absent from yesterday's mobile Cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai, although his aides claimed he stayed behind in the capital in order to monitor the situation.

Following the mobile meeting, Yingluck pledged to ensure safety for the tourism industry and foreign visitors. She said the police, military and National Security Council were working around the clock to foil any terrorist plots.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said Thailand was disappointed the US had opted to issue its travel alert before consulting the Thai authorities.

"Despite the close monitoring [of the situation] and mutual cooperation between the two countries, the travel warning was issued with a direct impact on Thailand," he said.

Officials would seek to form an understanding on the issue with the US, he said.