Thai Authorities Allay Fears Over Possible Car Bomb Attack

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Thai authorities advised the people not to worry about a warning issued by a district officer about the possibility of a car bomb attack in one of Bangkok's busy business districts. Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, who is in charge of national security, said the warning of a car bomb attack in Sathorn district was based on "old information" and the officers had been asked to be on guard. "It was an old information that the government had been monitoring, so don't worry. All uniformed and undercover officers are fully working on the intelligence matter," he told the media at Government House Wednesday. Prawit, who is also the Defence Minister, urged all quarters to work together to thwart any untoward incident and ensure public safety. The deputy prime minister was responding to a media report citing a leaked memo by the Sathorn district officer on the possibility of a car bomb attack in that bustling area in Bangkok. Before the media conference, Prawit held a closed-door meeting with senior members of the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO). He also met Army Chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart. As one of the main business districts in the capital city, Sathorn houses many offices of multinational companies and embassies including from Malaysia, Germany, Australia and Singapore. The district officer's leaked memo, which was published by the media, warned the public of suspicious objects and persons in the area and urged them to notify the authorities. The memo also urged the public to be on the alert for any suspicious cars and pick-up trucks. The district officer's security memo followed another leaked memo by the police recently on a threat to strike five targets in Bangkok and Samut Prakan with car bombs to coincide with the 12th anniversary of the Tak Bai incident last week. -- BERNAMA