Thailand on full alert for terrorists during Games<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand has assembled a hard core of special
\nforces, bomb detection units and riot squads to ensure the Asian
\nGames live up to its \"Friendship Games\" billing.<\/p>\n
\"We want people to come to Bangkok for the 13th Asian Games
\nknowing that they will be safe,\" said Deputy Prime Minister
\nBhichai Rattakul, chairman of the games organizing committee
\n(BAGOC).<\/p>\n
A stifling security blanket will be spread over the capital
\nduring the Dec. 6-Dec. 20 event to protect athletes, officials,
\nVIPs and spectators from 42 competing nations.<\/p>\n
Lurking in the shadows will be an emergency team trained by
\nUnited States special forces to deal with kidnappings and other
\nterrorist action.<\/p>\n
\"We are looking for terrorists,\" said Royal Thai Police Gen.
\nKovid Bhakdibhumi, the deputy chairman of security at the Games
\nwhich has amassed 16,000 officers in Thailand's biggest peacetime
\nsecurity deployment.<\/p>\n
\"The force is up to international standards and will be on
\nstandby in all areas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Security chiefs will have at their fingertips state-of-the-art
\nbomb disposal and defusing equipment, finely drilled riot squads,
\npolice dogs and a helicopter.<\/p>\n
Behind the famous Thai smiles greeting arrivals at Bangkok
\nairport will be heightened security checks, backed with
\nintelligence from Interpol on known suspects.<\/p>\n
Demonstrations will be banned at all Games venues and close to
\nany athletes and officials.<\/p>\n
Kovid said the Royal Thai police had compiled in-depth
\nintelligence on possible demonstrators through exchanges with
\nInterpol.<\/p>\n
\"We have our intelligence, so we know beforehand who is going
\nto do what,\" he said. \"We know how many students are staying
\nhere, what they are going to do.\"<\/p>\n
Some 20 Thai security officials were in Atlanta to observe
\nsecurity provisions.<\/p>\n
Spectators arriving for events will be searched and made to
\nwalk through airport style x-ray machines that can detect weapons
\nand explosives, Kovid said.<\/p>\n
To minimize the risk of car bombs, vehicles will be left in
\ncar parks away from stadiums and park-and-ride services will
\noperate to venues.<\/p>\n
Organizers say they honed security preparations at similar
\nevents here in the past, notably the Southeast Asian Games in the
\nnorthern city of Chiang Mai last year and three previous Asian
\nGames in Hiroshima, Japan.<\/p>\n
Organizers, meanwhile, announced a labyrinthian format for the
\nsoccer event, following a frantic meeting to reorganize the draw
\nafter Brunei pulled out last week.<\/p>\n
The 23 remaining teams have been split into eight first round
\ngroups. The two top sides from each pool will advance to four
\nsecond round groups of four teams.<\/p>\n
The two top teams from each second round group will go forward
\nto a knockout phase of quarterfinals, semis and final.<\/p>\n
South Korea, seen by many as favorite for the event is drawn
\nin the first round with Vietnam and Turkmenistan. They will kick
\noff the competition on Nov. 30 well before the official start of
\nthe games.<\/p>\n
China, which has pulled top stars back from European clubs for
\nthe games, looks set for a relaxed opening round with games
\nagainst Lebanon and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Another fancied side, Japan, looks to have an easy passage
\nwith preliminary games against minnows India and Nepal, while
\nhost Thailand, which has former Aston Villa striker Peter Withe
\nin its coaching line-up, meets Hong Kong and Oman.<\/p>\n
North Korea, competing in its first Asian Games for eight
\nyears, is assured of qualification for the second round as it is
\nin a two-team group with the United Arab Emirates thanks to
\nBrunei's withdrawal.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thailand-on-full-alert-for-terrorists-during-games-1447893297",
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