British travellers warned of Thailand terror threat

The British embassy in Thailand has renewed warnings to travellers over possible terror attacks in the region.

At least three Western embassies in Thailand updated their warnings today after the country’s defence minister said Muslim insurgents in the south could extend their attacks to the capital, Bangkok.

The Australian, Canadian and British embassies revised their advisories, cautioning travellers to exercise caution in Bangkok as well as the south – the scene of a bloody three-year rebellion.

The US Embassy, however, did not change its standing advice to exercise care in both areas.

Thai interior minister Aree Wong-araya said that although Bangkok should be on the alert for terrorism, he did not anticipate any imminent attacks, the state Thai News Agency reported.

The country’s defence minister, Gen Boonrod Somtad, warned yesterday that the Muslim insurgents could extend their attacks to Bangkok after the rebels demonstrated their strength this week with a string of high-profile attacks in the south. He said the insurgents include 1,000 armed fighters and 10,000 second-line hard-core sympathisers, and that the rebels were infiltrating universities in the capital.