Visit Thailand 2007 ?

Despite the military government's assurances, it looks like all is not well in Thailand, and turbulent times are ahead for Thailand in 2007.

Four people inside a mosque in Thailand's Chiang Mai province were injured when a grenade was lobbed into the mosque on 1st Jan 2007. Prior to that, during the new year eve and shortly after midnight, a series of bombs hit Bangkok city killing 3 persons and injuring more than 40 others. Several schools in Thailand's northern and northeastern provinces were also burned.

The Australian embassy has previously advised Australians against unnecessary travel to Yala, Narathiwat, pattani, and Songkla due to ongoing violences in the southern region. Subsequent to the new year eve bombings, several countries have also issued travel advisory to their nationals to exercise high degree of caution when travelling in Thailand and overland into Malaysia as terrorists maybe planning more attacks against a range of targets including places frequented by foreigners.

Thailand's Army Chief, Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who conducted a coup in September 19 2006 to depose the democratically elected Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, cut short his Mecca's Haj trip to return to Thailand on Monday afternoon. So far no one has claimed responsibilities for the attacks and the Thai government are unable to establish the culprits.

It is speculated that the terror attacks could be linked to the supporters of Thailand's former Prime Minister who was toppled in a September military coup, or the insurgencies in the predominantly Muslim southern provinces which has claimed thousands of lives since 2004. Or, could it be the bombings are orchestrated by the military government to discredit the former Prime Minister from returning to Thailand ?


It doesn't really matter who is responsible for the terror attacks in the land of perpetual smiles ? Beware, beneath those smiles, there is a possibility of violence storms brewing and waiting to be tsunamized to inflict more casualties. Let's not stay in the line of fires between conflicting parties in Thailand. For the time being, and as a safety precaution, I guess it is better not to visit or invest in Thailand until such time when there is a democratically elected government to replace the present military government.