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[sigmoid]

As you may have heard a series of bomb blasts rocked Bangkok on New Year's Eve.

from MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16414683

9 bomb blasts rock Bangkok; 2 killed, 34 hurt
New Year's Eve party canceled; bombings cap year of turmoil in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand - Nine bombs exploded across Bangkok as the Thai capital celebrated the New Year, killing two people and driving thousands of revelers home after the city was forced to cancel festivities.

Hospital staff and officials said 34 people were injured, at least six of them foreigners.

There were two waves of bombings. Six nearly simultaneous explosions late Sunday night killed at least two people and injured 26. Some initially mistook the sound of the bombs for fireworks.

Bangkok Mayor Apirak Kosayothin canceled major public celebrations and sent home about 5,000 gathered in Central World Plaza, the downtown venue for Bangkok’s main New Year countdown party.

After midnight, three more bombs went off near the same plaza, iTV television reported. Eight people were injured in the later blasts, the report said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings, which capped a year of unrest in Thailand that included a military coup three months ago and a mounting Muslim insurgency in its southernmost provinces.

National police chief Gen. Ajirawit Suphanaphesat said he did not believe insurgents were behind the attacks.

Police and army troops wielding assault rifles guarded some entertainment venues, transit stations and busy traffic circles. Roadblocks were up on some streets, while hotels stepped up security, searching cars and canceling expensive New Year’s Eve dinners.

Major public celebrations were also canceled in the northern city of Chiang Mai.

Bangkok parties on
But festivities continued in some areas of Bangkok, including the city’s most famous red light district, Patpong Road, where hundreds of foreign tourists carried on celebrating. At midnight, fireworks lit up the sky in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai, with many residents still gathered in the streets of both cities.

Several embassies’ Web sites advised their citizens to avoid Bangkok’s city center.

“There is a possibility of further attacks in coming days,” said a travel advisory from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. “Australians are urged to avoid unnecessary travel in Bangkok.”

Bomb attacks are rare in the Thai capital.

Following the first wave of bombings, police said two people died at hospitals. There were also 14 people seriously wounded, said Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla.

You can check
http://www.2bangkok.com/
and
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/
for more info

[unionjack]

Sigmoid

This kind of thing is happening, all the time, in various parts of the world but what impact does it have on ESL teaching in these regions?

My own experience is that it has no effect whatsoever. A bomb may drop on a school, in which you are teaching, but it was probably by accident anyway. Unless foreigners are targeted deliberately, as they are in Iraq, then generally speaking, there is no direct threat to the ESL fraternity.

There are many dangerous places in the world but one shouldn't go there in the first place or they are asking for trouble and if one should find themselves in such a place, then they should get out quickly.

Often, it is our families back home, who are worried about us, after hearing all the 'bad' news from the news media and I'm afraid, reading posts similar to yours.

Most times, there is no information given on the local radio, TV or in the local newspapers and the first we hear about it, is when our families contact us, to tell us to leave immediately before we are killed or taken hostage, when the problem is, actually, in another part of the country or is just an isolated incident.

The Foreign Service isn't much help in these matters, either.

Incidentally Sigmoid, are you in Bangkok?

UJ

[aardvark]

"One night in Bangkok makes the hard man humble.........
la la la la la la la la lala"

sorry, but someone had to mention the song from "Chess"

[ajarnjobspace]

Things have quietened down a lot since those bombs exploded though. Reading this I thought it may have happened again until I saw the dates.

[Brirusa09]

Hi there

I'll be in Bangkok then, didnt know about the festival though Now Im even more excited about going