Security beefed up for U.S. servicemen on R and R

[UPI]

BANGKOK, Thailand (UPI) -- Thai authorities, fearing a terrorist
attack following the U.S. missile strike on Iraq, have tightened
security in the beach resort of Pattaya for the visit of thousands of U.
S. servicemen on R and R.
Six U.S. Navy ships Thursday docked in Pattaya, about 60 miles
southeast of Bangkok, to allow about 8,000 servicemen to take one week's
R and R in the notorious and tawdry resort, the Matichon newspaper
reported.
It said authorities have placed the city's police force on alert for
the week and sent an additional 400 officers to prevent a possible
terrorist attack in retaliation for the U.S. missile strike against
Baghdad last weekend.
The report said the week-long visit by the GIs is worth about $4
million to the city, where tourism has declined in recent years due to
publicity about prostitution, AIDS, crime and pollution.
Police in Bangkok earlier in the week stepped up security around the
embassies of the United States, Britain, France, Israel and Kuwait as
well as other U.S. and British facilities that are potential targets for
terrorists.
U.S. Navy ships on Sunday fired 23 missiles at an Iraqi intelligence
headquarters in Baghdad in retaliation for a plot by Iraq to assassinqte
former U.S. president George Bush. Iraq said the attack left eight
civilians dead and dozens wounded.