Thailand on full alert for terrorists during Games

Thailand on full alert for terrorists during Games

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand has assembled a hard core of special
forces, bomb detection units and riot squads to ensure the Asian
Games live up to its "Friendship Games" billing.

"We want people to come to Bangkok for the 13th Asian Games
knowing that they will be safe," said Deputy Prime Minister
Bhichai Rattakul, chairman of the games organizing committee
(BAGOC).

A stifling security blanket will be spread over the capital
during the Dec. 6-Dec. 20 event to protect athletes, officials,
VIPs and spectators from 42 competing nations.

Lurking in the shadows will be an emergency team trained by
United States special forces to deal with kidnappings and other
terrorist action.

"We are looking for terrorists," said Royal Thai Police Gen.
Kovid Bhakdibhumi, the deputy chairman of security at the Games
which has amassed 16,000 officers in Thailand's biggest peacetime
security deployment.

"The force is up to international standards and will be on
standby in all areas," he said.

Security chiefs will have at their fingertips state-of-the-art
bomb disposal and defusing equipment, finely drilled riot squads,
police dogs and a helicopter.

Behind the famous Thai smiles greeting arrivals at Bangkok
airport will be heightened security checks, backed with
intelligence from Interpol on known suspects.

Demonstrations will be banned at all Games venues and close to
any athletes and officials.

Kovid said the Royal Thai police had compiled in-depth
intelligence on possible demonstrators through exchanges with
Interpol.

"We have our intelligence, so we know beforehand who is going
to do what," he said. "We know how many students are staying
here, what they are going to do."

Some 20 Thai security officials were in Atlanta to observe
security provisions.

Spectators arriving for events will be searched and made to
walk through airport style x-ray machines that can detect weapons
and explosives, Kovid said.

To minimize the risk of car bombs, vehicles will be left in
car parks away from stadiums and park-and-ride services will
operate to venues.

Organizers say they honed security preparations at similar
events here in the past, notably the Southeast Asian Games in the
northern city of Chiang Mai last year and three previous Asian
Games in Hiroshima, Japan.

Organizers, meanwhile, announced a labyrinthian format for the
soccer event, following a frantic meeting to reorganize the draw
after Brunei pulled out last week.

The 23 remaining teams have been split into eight first round
groups. The two top sides from each pool will advance to four
second round groups of four teams.

The two top teams from each second round group will go forward
to a knockout phase of quarterfinals, semis and final.

South Korea, seen by many as favorite for the event is drawn
in the first round with Vietnam and Turkmenistan. They will kick
off the competition on Nov. 30 well before the official start of
the games.

China, which has pulled top stars back from European clubs for
the games, looks set for a relaxed opening round with games
against Lebanon and Cambodia.

Another fancied side, Japan, looks to have an easy passage
with preliminary games against minnows India and Nepal, while
host Thailand, which has former Aston Villa striker Peter Withe
in its coaching line-up, meets Hong Kong and Oman.

North Korea, competing in its first Asian Games for eight
years, is assured of qualification for the second round as it is
in a two-team group with the United Arab Emirates thanks to
Brunei's withdrawal.