The US Embassy in Bangkok has put out an emergency message to US citizens warning of a potential terrorist attack in the Thai capital.
The embassy said that “foreign terrorists” may be looking to conduct attacks in tourist areas and that US citizens should exercise caution in public areas where Westerners gather.
There was some confusion as to whether the message was legitimate – as the original email message that went out to US citizens was recalled – but US Ambassador Kristie Kenney has confirmed by Twitter that the message is real and urged people to “ read it carefully and consider the information as you plan your activities.” The recall was due to a technical glitch, Kenney said.
The full text of the message from the US Embassy’s website is here:
This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.
The American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok, and can be reached by calling 66-2-205-4049, or by e-mailing acsbkk@state.gov. The Embassy’s after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-2-205-4000. The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is located at 387 Wichayanond Road in Chiang Mai. The American Citizen Services Unit of the Consulate General can be reached by calling 66-53-107-777 and by e-mail at acschn@state.gov. The after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-81-881-1878.
For the latest security information, you should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website, where current Worldwide Cautions, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings and health-information resources can be found. You can also obtain up-to-date information on security by calling 1-888-407-4747 (toll free) in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers in other areas, by calling a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
We encourage you notify us of your presence in Thailand by enrolling in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Note: Due to a technical error, some recipients received this message – followed by a recall message – a few minutes later. Please disregard the recall message.
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The US Embassy in Bangkok
