Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BANGKOK1277
2005-02-18 12:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

VEHICLE BOMB STRIKES HOTEL IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

Tags:  ASEC PTER TH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS BANGKOK 001277 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

PASS TO DS/DSS/ITA, DS/DSS/OSAC, DSERCC, DS/IP/EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER TH
SUBJECT: VEHICLE BOMB STRIKES HOTEL IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001277

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

PASS TO DS/DSS/ITA, DS/DSS/OSAC, DSERCC, DS/IP/EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER TH
SUBJECT: VEHICLE BOMB STRIKES HOTEL IN SOUTHERN THAILAND


1. (U) SUMMARY: A VEHICLE-BORNE IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
(VBIED) EXPLODED 2/17/2005 OUTSIDE A HOTEL IN NARATHIWAT
PROVINCE, SOUTHERN THAILAND. POLICE REPORT 5 DEAD AND 49
INJURED. THIS IS AN ESCALATION IN TACTICS FROM THE DAILY
DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS AND SMALLER IEDS WHICH TYPICALLY TARGET
THAI SECURITY FORCES. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) DETAILS:
ACCORDING TO ROYAL THAI POLICE (RTP) SOURCES AND PRESS
REPORTS, AT 1905 HRS ON 2/17/2005, A VBIED EXPLODED OUTSIDE
THE MARINA HOTEL IN SUNG NGAI KOH LOC DISTRICT OF NARATHIWAT
PROVINCE, SOUTHERN THAILAND. THE HOTEL IS LOCATED
APPROXIMATELY 50 METERS FROM A LOCAL POLICE STATION IN AN
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OF THE TOWN. THE INITIAL POLICE
REPORTS INDICATED THE VBIED VEHICLE WAS A NISSAN NV PICK-UP
TRUCK. LATER, OTHER RELIABLE SOURCES HAVE REPORTED THE GREEN
NISSAN TRUCK PARKED OUTSIDE THE HOTEL TO APPARENTLY TO HOLD
THE PARKING SPOT FOR ANOTHER TOYOTA SEDAN WHICH WAS THE
VBIED. WITNESSES SAY THE PERSON WHO PARKED THE VBIED ESCAPED
ON A MOPED, OR ALTERNATIVELY, IN THE GREEN NISSAN PICK-UP.
ONE REPORT INDICATES THE POLICE HAVE RECOVERED CCTV FOOTAGE
OF THE ATTACK.


3. (SBU) POLICE AND OTHER SOURCES HAVE INDICATED THE VBIED
CONSISTED OF 50-100 KGS OF AMMONIUM NITRATE, DYNAMITE, AND
SHRAPNEL. POLICE ARE WITHHOLDING PUBLIC CONFIRMATION OF
EXPLOSIVE PENDING LABORATORY ANALYSIS. ADDITIONAL REPORTS
INDICATE THE VBIED HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A STOLEN CAR THAT
PREVIOUSLY BELONGED TO A MILITARY NCO KILLED IN NARATHIWAT IN

2004. MOST OF THE DEAD AND INJURED WERE AT A RESTAURANT
LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF THE HOTEL.


4. (SBU) POLICE BELIEVE THE VBIED WAS DETONATED BY MOBILE
PHONE, A COMMON TACTIC EMPLOYED BY THAI SEPARTISTS. THE
ESCALATION FROM SMALLER ROADSIDE AND MOPED IEDS TO LARGER
CAPACITY VBIEDS IS DISTURBING TO THAI POLICE, AND US EMBASSY
SECURITY OFFICIALS ARE SIMILARLY CONCERNED. THIS ATTACK
CONFIRMS VBIED THREAT INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN CIRCULATING
IN THE AREA SINCE SEPT 2004, AND MAY PORTEND SIMILAR ATTACKS
SOON. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS INDICATE AN ADDITIONAL THREE
VBIEDS ARE BEING PREPARED. THE FREQUENCY OF SMALL SCALE
BOMBINGS AND SHOOTINGS AGAINST POLICE, MILITARY, FIRST
RESPONDER, AND THAI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAS INCREASED SINCE
THE THAI FEB 6 NATIONAL ELECTIONS. THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE
FIRST ATTACKS PURELY AGAINST CIVILIAN TARGETS. AND IN WHAT
MAY BE A SHOW OF CONTINUING CAPABILITIES AND STRENGTH IN THE
FACE OF CURRENT THAI SECURITY EFFORTS, THIS ATTACK OCCURRED
ON THE SAME EVENING THAT THAI PRIME MINISTER THAKSIN
SHINAWATRA WAS IN THE TROUBLED SOUTHERN PROVINCES TALKING
ABOUT TAKING DECISIVE ACTION TO STOP THE VIOLENCE.
BOYCE