SECURITY / PREPARING FOR THE WORST
Expert warns of terror attacks in major cities
SUPOJ WANCHAROEN
A security expert has warned people living in the big cities to brace themselves for all possible forms of terrorist attacks.
Surachart Bamrungsuk, a security expert at Chulalongkorn University's political science faculty, said the focus of attacks has now shifted from rural areas to cities which are easier to strike but are difficult to guard.
Besides, an attack on a city had a strong shock impact on the psyche of people as it received worldwide media attention, he said.
''Most attacks in Iraq occur in cities. A similar pattern is also common in other countries. This includes terrorist strike against the World Trade Center in the US, the bombings at London railway stations and the gas attack on the Tokyo subway.
''Much of the separatist violence in the three southernmost provinces also occurs in downtown areas,'' he noted.
Metropolis cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket and Hat Yai as well as their satellite towns were vulnerable to attack.
Mr Surachart spoke during a seminar on measures to prevent threats from terrorism. The seminar was held by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation yesterday.
He suggested the government sector educate and re-educate city residents about terrorist attacks and prevention measures.
He said the Metropolitan Police Bureau must be the main force in tackling terrorist attacks in the city. BMA thetsakij inspectors, disaster prevention officials and civil disaster prevention volunteers must support the police operations.
Mr Surachart suggested the government sector instruct all cities to be prepared for a possible terrorist assault. Each city must have anti-terrorist measures in place to cope with emergency situations.
Closed-circuit television systems should be installed. He said most big cities in Europe had installed these security devices.
The academic urged authorities to do away with their old thinking that giving information to the public about terrorist attacks would cause chaos in society.
Alerting people to impending or potential threats from terrorists would be the right measure to take, he said.
In the event of an attack, people should stay away from glass doors or windows, avoid using elevators and switch off their mobile phones, he said.
Niyom Kannasut, director of the Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said the office provided training on how to handle bombs to its staff and volunteers after Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin issued a disaster prevention policy.
So far, about 2,000 officials and volunteers have undergone the training.
Bangkok Post Sept. 1, 2007