# Stupid Iranian Terrorist Bombs Himself in Bangkok
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 14, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812 "2012-02-14T15:13:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/61 "2012-02-21T02:18:34Z")
Thailand does import most of its oil, 807,000 barrels a day I believe is the current figure. The amount from Iran itself is very small, but Thailand does of course rely on the Strait of Hormuz. However, I doubt Iran would shut the strait solely because of a ban on Iranian visitors.
But I’m not sure how practical such a ban would be myself. We get a lot of Iranians, and the vast majority are not terrorists. I think that would be an unprecedented move, and any serious attempt would probably be doomed to become bogged down in parliamentry debate and delays. Although it’s not quite the same thing, Saudi citizens are banned by their own country from visiting Thailand – has to do with a big jewelry scam perpetrated on a Saudi pince 20-odd years ago,followed by the murder of some Saudi diplomats in Bangkok, an act that was related to the gems case – and Thailand has always been against that. (Of course, if Thailand would just arrest the perp responsible for the scam, ties would normalize, but since that person is a prominent member of a Family That Cannot Be Named, it’s a dead issue.)
Meanwhile, police think a series of stickers placed strategically on poles may have been markers telling the bombers where to strike. Story [here](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/280757/police-probe-sejeal-bomb-link).
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### Author:  [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/62 "2012-02-21T07:37:53Z")
Well, it’s good to hear that most Iranians aren’t terrorist… :).
So then, Thai diplomats will send a nasty diplomatic note to the Iranians and then it will be back to business as usual. Seems reasonable.
> [@](#):
>
> and screwing up th_ere_ tourist dollars
Man, I can’t seem to get a grip on these homophones. :smack:
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/63 "2012-02-23T02:38:45Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> Meanwhile, police think a series of stickers placed strategically on poles may have been markers telling the bombers where to strike. Story [here](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/280757/police-probe-sejeal-bomb-link).
Everything’s settling down now. The only new update is that those stickers are now believed to have marked a getaway route for the bombers rather than indicating potential targets. Story [here](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/280930/police-tie-blast-suspects-to-sejeal-stickers).
Just to be sure, I personally inspected the Patpong red-light district last night. All was well. No terrorists that I could find.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/64 "2012-02-23T02:57:06Z")
Oh, and this one’s also pretty interesting: [Photos Show Alleged Iran Bombs Hidden in $27 Radio](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/exclusive-photos-show-alleged-iran-bombs-hidden-27/story?id=15759301)
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/65 "2012-02-23T03:28:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> Oh, and this one’s also pretty interesting: [Photos Show Alleged Iran Bombs Hidden in $27 Radio](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/exclusive-photos-show-alleged-iran-bombs-hidden-27/story?id=15759301)
You’d think they’d at least use a boom box.
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### Author:  [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/66 "2012-02-23T03:47:52Z")
Or a ghetto blaster.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/67 "2012-02-24T02:52:27Z")
Here’s a good overview of the situation, from Sunday’s paper: [Valentine’s Day bombs: a farce with deadly implications](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/280543/valentine-day-bombs-a-farce-with-deadly-implications)
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/68 "2012-02-24T03:21:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> Here’s a good overview of the situation, from Sunday’s paper: [Valentine’s Day bombs: a farce with deadly implications](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/280543/valentine-day-bombs-a-farce-with-deadly-implications)
Sorry, one more, as this one from CNN is pretty good too: [A shadow war from Bangkok to Baku](http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/22/a-shadow-war-from-bangkok-to-baku/)
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/69 "2012-02-24T03:47:07Z")
> [@Sam's article](#):
>
> What do potential terrorists do when they arrive in an Asian country to allegedly blow up foreign diplomats?
>
> Head straight to the seaside resort of Pattaya for some R&R, of course.
Well, yeah…
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/70 "2012-02-24T23:20:01Z")
Pattaya is our Mos Eisley (in _Star Wars_: “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”).
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/71 "2012-02-28T03:40:22Z")
Update: [Three more Iranians have been arrested in Bangkok over this](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/281688/three-more-iranians-arrested-in-feb-14-bomb-probe). Two men and a woman. The visa of one of the men expired last year.
Security seems to be a tad tighter. One example is I passed through the Asoke intersection in central Bangkok in the back of a taxi last night. The taxi had to slow down so the cop at a police checkpoint could shine a light in at me. The cop just waved us on, presumably because I did not look West Asian. Photos of cops inspecting IDs of West Asian tourists have been appearing in the news. This sort of thing is usualy just for show, because really, what are you going to find doing this except for maybe an expired visa? I don’t even carry my passport on me (but I do usually have a photocopy on hand).
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/72 "2012-02-28T03:43:07Z")
[This article](http://phuketwan.com/tourism/bangkok-bomb-suspects-flew-phuket-kuala-lumpur-says-phuket-immigration-officer-15502/) claims they came in KL - Phuket.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/73 "2012-02-28T03:51:07Z")
There’s usually pretty good cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand. I’m sure the Malaysian authorities, who are themselves concerned about extremism, will start watching this route more closely and extradite that one guy they nabbed once they’re done with him.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/74 "2012-03-17T01:52:56Z")
An [update](http://www.indianexpress.com/news/express-exclusive-call-details-of-bangkok-bombers-led-cops-to-israel-embassy-attacker/924602/).
**“The Delhi Police figured out the conspiracy behind the recent attack on an Israeli Embassy car by studying call details of the Bangkok bombers, who reportedly belong to the same Iranian module that planned assaults on Israeli targets in New Delhi, Georgia and Bangkok last month.”**
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/75 "2012-12-21T17:46:26Z")
[There’s a new update](http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iranian-bomb-suspects-bangkok-court-18032986#.UNSeV6zheSo): The suspects, including the one who blew his own legs off and had to be wheeled into the courtroom, appeared in court today.
They were stunned – STUNNED, I say – to find explosives stashed in their cabinets and were actually fleeing to safety when they went off. It was the dastardly Israelis! Israel planted the explosives.
EDIT: Okay, _this_ report doesn’t have them blaming Israel, but I thought I saw one today in which they did.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/76 "2013-08-23T23:38:02Z")
Update: The court somehow did not believe the Iranians’ story about having found the explosives in the house once they’d moved in and [sentenced them to 15 years and life](http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/365931/iranian-valentine-day-bomber-jailed-for-life). Heh. 😃
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### Author:  [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/77 "2013-08-24T15:35:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> They were stunned – STUNNED, I say – to find explosives stashed in their cabinets
Your detonators, sir.
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### Author:  [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/78 "2013-08-25T01:43:45Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Menachem Begin ordered the [bombing of the King David Hotel in 1946](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing) which killed 91 people, and he went on to become Prime MInister of Israel. One man’s terrrorist is another man’s patriot.
IIRC, Begin, in an interview, stated that the difference was that this was a military operation against a military target, not a civilian target.
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### Author:  [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/79 "2013-08-25T01:45:03Z")
nm
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### Author:  [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-iranian-terrorist-bombs-himself-in-bangkok/612812/80 "2013-08-25T01:58:53Z")
> [@mbh](#):
>
> Your detonators, sir.
And \*my \*resignation!
Dang, I loved that cartoon.
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