Thailand a transit point for terrorists : Panitan
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Thailand is not a target for international terrorism but a transit point that terrorists use as a sanctuary for planning their operations, a political science lecturer said on Thursday.
Panitan Wattanayagorn of Chulalongkorn University was commenting on Tuesday’s blasts in Bangkok involving three Iranian suspects.
“The country is an open tourist destination and certain foreign visitors might use it as a staging ground to plan attacks and stockpile arms,” he said.
Police are investigating all leads in connection with the three suspects. There was a loud explosion at their rental home off Sukhumvit 71. The three fled the scene.
One suspect threw two explosive devices at a taxi and a police patrol car, severely maiming his lower limbs. Another tried to flee to Malaysia but was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The third suspect, who fled to Kuala Lumpur, has been arrested by Malaysian police.
Forensic investigators found five explosive devices at the rental home. They have yet to draw conclusions about the first explosion at the rental house.
PM adviser Panlop Pinmanee said the explosions were not terror attacks but indicated the stockpiling of explosives.
“What happened is not a lapse of law enforcement nor poor intelligence although the authorities might need to step up security measures,” he said.
