Is Security Being Tightened in Bangkok?

[Guest fountainhall]

I was at Saladaeng Skytrain station twice today. Both times I saw a pair of soldiers in camouflage uniforms holding awesome looking rifles. There were also a pair on the overpass leading towards Rama 4. I have not seen soldiers there since the violence ended in May. Did anyone read about heightened security measures in the city?

[Guest beachlover]

Don't know, but there have been a few bombs and grenades going off. Were the soldiers cute? There were some really cute ones out and about during the protests.

[Guest fountainhall]

Don't know, but there have been a few bombs and grenades going off. Were the soldiers cute? There were some really cute ones out and about during the protests.

The thread is about what appears to me to be an increased military presence; not the pulchritude or otherwise of those bearing arms.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

If I am not mistaken there have been no bombings for a few weeks now.

[Guest GaySacGuy]

FH Didn't see anything on several websites about any upgrade to security. Usually ThaiVisa would have something if that was the case. And this was today, Monday, not over the weekend??

[Guest fountainhall]

And this was today, Monday, not over the weekend??

Yes, this was today, I got to Saladaeng BTS around 1:00 pm and there they were close to the entrance to Silom Complex. On my return around 4:30pm they were still there walking around. I have seen no news about enhanced security - that's why I was surprised.

[PattayaMale]

Yesterday, I had to go to "Future Mart" by the Montien Riverside Hotel on Rama III. I went up the steps to where the new BTS express bus has just started running and saw 2 soldiers there also. Today in the Bangkok Post the lead was about the continuation of the Emergency Degree. So it could be that the Government is being very cautious.

[Guest YardenUK]

....... I saw a pair of soldiers in camouflage uniforms holding awesome looking rifles. ......

 

Out of curiosity, for those of you who don't see armed soldiers often, is it disturbing or alarming when you do?

 

This is a genuine question - I grew up in a country with a very obvious military presence outside and inside every town and city and military helicopters overhead were the norm - and I have noticed that now as an adult, I barely register armed soldiers/police.

[Guest beachlover]

I don't see them often. It catches my eye but doesn't bother me at all if they're uniformed.

 

Speaking of military helicopters overhead, I had the Army Blackhawks buzzing right past my window at eye level (this is right in the middle of the city centre) a couple of weeks ago. They just kept doing the same maneuver again and again all day.

[Guest MonkeySee]

Out of curiosity, for those of you who don't see armed soldiers often, is it disturbing or alarming when you do?

 

The first time I saw armed soldiers in the streets was as a lad in Northern Spain. Growing up in America, this was quite a shock. I remember thinking how odd it was to have to live everyday life with soldiers in the streets with machine guns. The feeling was the same many years later in the Philippines with police guarding banks with guns showing.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Same for me, my first time to see armed soldiers on the streets was in Barcelona during the Franco era. I was a bit taken back by it. More recently, I was in Colombo and was put off by the presence of armed soldiers everywhere and not being allowed to take photos of downtown Colombo. I think that may have changed now that the war is over, but I am not sure.

[Guest fountainhall]

I think the first time I really noticed armed officers was at Hong Kong's new airport after 9/11. Then I found their presences very reassuring. As I mentioned in an earlier post, 18 months or so later I flew into Heathrow airport in London from Rio. About to land, I could see tanks ringing the airport. This was another terrorist scare. I felt no problem flying in, but was a bit concerned about flying out in the dark the next evening. What if there had been terrorists with heat seeking missiles??

 

I am off to Saladaeng station now and will see if the armed officers are still around.

[Guest beachlover]

I've seen armed police with sub-machine guns lining the walls of Changi Airport in Singapore at times. It was clearly a display. I think they only do it when there's a particular reason for it, like a major event. Haven't seen it for sometime.

 

I saw villagers strolling around with muskets and crossbows, presumably for hunting when I went trekking in Northern Thailand near Burma.

[Guest fountainhall]

I saw no army presence at Saladaeng station today. However, at Asoke BTS station, there were camouflaged army personnel with rifles actually on each platform. I saw on another site that a poster had seen soldiers at Saladaeng on Sunday, but they were carrying pistols, not rifles. I wonder what is happening?

[Guest GaySacGuy]

Out of curiosity, for those of you who don't see armed soldiers often, is it disturbing or alarming when you do?

 

This is a genuine question - I grew up in a country with a very obvious military presence outside and inside every town and city and military helicopters overhead were the norm - and I have noticed that now as an adult, I barely register armed soldiers/police.

 

In most cases I would not find the armed soldiers disturbing. I did however get pretty concerned in Mexico when the "Police" were riding around in the back of pickups with rifles and pointing them every which direction. But in Thailand I have never been concerned with the military being armed.

[Guest fountainhall]

In most cases I would not find the armed soldiers disturbing.

I have no problem with armed military either. The only concern I have is that these seem rather suddenly to have reappeared. They were definitely not around last week, for example. I'd assume there must therefore be a reason, and I am curious as to what it might be.

[Guest MonkeySee]

I saw this notice on another sight. Apparently troops are being sent to gaurd both BTS skytrain staions and MRT stations, as well. They say there is a possible risk for sabatoge.

 

Troops now also guarding skytrain

Published: 7/09/2010 at 01:25 PM

Online news: Breakingnews

http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35509

 

The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on Tuesday sent troops to guard BTS skytrain stations, after assigning soldiers to subway stations on Monday.

 

Thawil Pliensri, secretary-general of the National Security Council, confirmed the deployments and said the CRES wants to make sure all spots vulnerable to attack are protected.

 

Vithoon Hathairattana, director of operations of the Bangkok Metro Public Company Limited, operator of the MRT subway trains, said the company had also stepped up security on being warned by the CRES of possible sabotage.

 

Soldiers were guarding all subway train stations, he confirmed.

 

He said passengers entering MRT stations were usually subjected to a bag check.

[Guest fountainhall]

Many thanks MonkeySee. That clears it up.