Dutch people who want to go to parties in Thailand this weekend should avoid these busy places. The Dutch embassy in Bangkok issues this warning. It appears to be related to fears of an attack on Israeli tourists in Thailand.
Thailand is celebrating the Loy Krathong festival this weekend, which coincides with the popular full moon parties in several places.
According to the embassy, the festival and full moon parties on Koh Phangan, among others, can lead to large crowds and tense situations. “Therefore, avoid these busy places during this weekend. Be extra vigilant and always follow the instructions of the local authorities,” the embassy writes to Dutch people in Thailand.
Fear of attack
Media in Thailand that Israeli authorities called on Israelis in Thailand to remain vigilant. The reason for this was reports about internal documents of the Thai police, which allegedly warned of a plot to commit a terrorist attack on Israelis.
The warning is mainly aimed at the full moon party on Koh Phangan. However, according to Thai media, Thai security authorities state that Koh Phangan is safe. This is also reported on Koh Phangan.
‘Difficult to secure’
“It is known that this island is loved by Israelis,” says Southeast Asia correspondent Thom Schelstraete. “There are also quite a lot of people living in Israel.”
According to Schelstraete, the authorities in Israel and the Netherlands must also have looked at the unrest in Amsterdam last week. “Israel is of course looking at locations where things could possibly go wrong again. These parties are also difficult to secure. You see scattered people everywhere on the beach, there is drinking, some drugs are undoubtedly used, it is almost impossible to to keep an overview and control everyone.”
