US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK1277

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, Southern Thailand 
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