The attraction of Thailand for many tourists and expats from all over the world combined with the many porous borders the Kingdom of Thailand shares with erratic states have led Thailand's risk level for foreigners to be raised from "Low Risk" to "Medium Risk" by the consultants of the London based "Control Risks Group", which advises on the political and security risks to foreign staff and Expats from around the world. Thailand now ranks at the same level as Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
The "Control Risk Group" has now 71 countries on it's list as posing a "Medium Risk" to Western business staff with Thailand being one of the 14 countries for which the level has been raised from "Low" to "Medium".
The decision to raise the risk level from "Low" to "Medium" for Thailand is not in any way a reflection that the government of Thailand would not be combating terrorism, said Stephen Wilfred, a "Control Risk Group" annalist for Southeast Asia who is based in Singapore. The Thai government is doing as much, if not much more, than its neighbors to fight terrorism, he added.
In Bangkok the Thai government strongly criticizes the "Control Risks Group's study, saying it did not rely on facts and overlooked the excellent efforts to combat and prevent terrorism during the Apec 2003 summit in Bangkok last month.
Thailand is a very attractive target for terrorists, Wilfred said, as many Westerners, Americans, Australians and Israelis, who could attract attacks, are working and taking holidays in the Thai Kingdom than anywhere else in the Asian region.
He said the methods of the Jemaah Islamiyah terror movement could change in the wake of the Bali bombings. At present the Jemahh Islamiyah strategy appears to be one of destabilizing Indonesia and the Philippines by killing local Christians, he said, but it may shift its focus to killing Westerners.
Geographical location makes Thailand also vulnerable. Thailand is surrounded on three sides by weak states with porous borders, Wilfred said. The border police have improved levels of security, but many shipments of illegal weapons and explosives still enter the country to be put up for sale on Thailand's large illegal arms market.
The new upgrading in rating reflects the reality that Thailand cannot be viewed as on the sideline to terrorism, as in the past, he further added.
