US wants armed marshals on its Thailand flights

[Mid]

US wants armed marshals on its Thailand flights
14 Mar 2013

US authorities want to put air marshals on American-flagged airlines operating through Thailand in the wake of security threats.

Washington has sought permission to do so from top-level Thai officials who reportedly are still considering the matter, according to a source in Bangkok who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

The allowance, if granted, will apply chiefly to two US airlines operating frequent flights between Bangkok and US territory. The pair _ United and Delta _ are perceived to be direct targets of anti-US elements.

Thai authorities in the past have secretly allowed Israel and Australia to place air marshals _ defined as armed undercover law-enforcement officers assigned to prevent and interdict air piracy and acts of terrorism involving commercial aircraft _ on El Al and Qantas flights through Bangkok.

It could not be confirmed whether airlines of other countries considered US allies and operating through Bangkok such as British Airways and Lufthansa have deployed air marshals on Thai flights

But El Al, which operates flights between Thailand and Israel, makes no secret of the fact that it puts two air marshals on each flight, living up to its slogan of "Flying to Israel with Security and Ease".

Industry observers say the security threat against US interests remains strong even after the death of Osama bin Laden, with Thailand still seen as a staging ground for terrorism.

United and Delta maintain their own passenger-screening and baggage facilities at Suvarnabhumi in addition to the normal security procedures provided by the airport.

"Having air marshals on board US airlines is an added security measure in the same way as Israel does for El Al," said one veteran Thai pilot.

He said the US has a legitimate right to deploy air marshals on US-registered planes, whose cabins are technically regarded as US territory under that country's jurisdiction.

The number of air marshals _ referred to as sky marshals in the US _ is estimated in the thousands, a quantum leap from about 30 before the al-Qaeda attacks of Sept 11, 2001.

Air marshals have been on US planes for more than 40 years, but the ranks have risen with the growing threat of hijacking.

In this region, India also puts air marshals on Indian airline flights, but only in times of heightened security.

bangkokpost.com

[DJ Pat]

We've got waitresses and now store detectives on board. What next, self service buffet?

[Fluke]

Or a self service bullet

[Necron99]

Number of armed Air Marshals who have successfully stopped a hijacking: 0
Challenging airport security with that record.

[BillH52]

As nonstop flights to the U.S. are few and far between, wonder if they will change shifts &/or personnel at the stop over?

[bash street gang]

wonder if they're getting nervous about radicalisation of southern insurgents ?

[sabang]

Yeh right, an armed country is a polite country, right?

If Americans feel unsafe travelling, maybe they should look a little closer to home to understand the reasons why.

As far as some foreign country wanting to put their own armed guards on my domestic flights, do you mind if I leave the obvious response unsaid. It's where the sun don't shine.

[BobR]

Ironic this article appears on the same day as another which says the Americans want to start allowing people to bring knives on airplanes.

What could an Air Marshall do anyway, they would be useless in a bomb threat or if a bomb was on board, and a shoot out at 35,000 feet in a pressurized airplane would not likely benefit anyone.

Of course this may be a diplomatic way of telling Thailand that their airport security is substandard without advertising that fact to potential terrorists. The Thais are no where near as thorough at BKK as the American TSA is at LAX.

[TizMe]

I fly BKK-SIN quite often.

Not every time, but I often get screened again after arriving in Singapore.

[ralphlsasser]

Yeh right, an armed country is a polite country, right?

If Americans feel unsafe travelling, maybe they should look a little closer to home to understand the reasons why.

As far as some foreign country wanting to put their own armed guards on my domestic flights, do you mind if I leave the obvious response unsaid. It's where the sun don't shine.

You're an idiot.

[Lorenzo]

As far as some foreign country wanting to put their own armed guards on my domestic flights, do you mind if I leave the obvious response unsaid. It's where the sun don't shine.

Don't think foreign carriers fly domestic routes, in the US they don't

[pseudolus]

How to generate fear with no threat? Say you need armed guards on planes to a holiday destination. No reason for it only "intelligence reports".

[KiCanCummins]

"Former Newark Airport TSA screener says the job does little to keep fliers safe."

I think the US GOV needs to have a GOOD look at the TSA!!!

"It is perhaps America’s most unsafe airport. Despite being the launching point for one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 — Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania — Newark Airport has had numerous security violations since. The latest: a fake bomb that made it past Transportation Security Administration officers. Here, a Newark TSA screener who recently left the agency tells how silly policies and lazy workers do little to stop real threats:"

EXCLUSIVE: Former Newark TSA screener dishes on lax security at what may be America's most unsafe airport - NYPOST.com

[WujouMao]

Yeh right, an armed country is a polite country, right?

If Americans feel unsafe travelling, maybe they should look a little closer to home to understand the reasons why.

As far as some foreign country wanting to put their own armed guards on my domestic flights, do you mind if I leave the obvious response unsaid. It's where the sun don't shine.

You're an idiot.

No he aint. He's talking sense. Americans can only blame themselves for the predicament they get themselves in.

We are not exactly loved by other nations in UK, not after the hahal school food cock up, but you dont see us asking for cops on planes do you.

[Rural Surin]

If Americans feel unsafe travelling, maybe they should look a little closer to home to understand the reasons why.

This will never be discussed or reasoned thereof.

As America is never at fault.

[bushwacker]

Some how guns and planes do not seem to be a good idea .... but hey, just make sure you have a good shot before shooting.