The Pheu Thai-led government's policies on security and foreign affairs are failures, Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said Friday.
Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut
"We have warned the government that it should not view terrorists in the same light as petty thieves," Mr Chavanond said.
When foreign countries issued warnings to their citizens travelling to Thailand, the government became irritated and pressured those countries to lift their warnings, he said. But recent events that occurred in the country were in line with those warnings.
"The government has failed to ensure security and maintain foreign relations, more than ever before in the history of Thailand," said the opposition spokesman.
The three bomb blasts on Sukhumvit Soi 71 on Tuesday were in direct contradiction to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's comment that the security situation was under control. The incident showed that the government could not guarantee the safety of property or the lives of both Thais and foreigners, he said.
"Foreigners no longer have confidence and faith in the government," he said.
Mr Chavanond also criticised Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul for saying that the plan by the foreign bombers to attach a C4 bomb to an Israeli embassy car using magnets was not a terrorist act but an assassination attempt.
"What Mr Surapong said is inappropriate and government officials are ashamed that he's the foreign minister," the spokesman said.
When Mr Surapong said the bomber suspects were making bombs inside the country but planned to use them overseas, other countries criticised him and thought that he admitted that Thailand was a place that helped terrorists, Mr Chavanond said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong
Foreign ministers in other countries would have resigned if they were in Mr Surapong's situation, he added.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said the new travel warnings for Thailand issued by 14 countries were normal, butr that terrorist attacks can take place in any country around the world.
"Terrorism does not need to pick the time and the destination and needs no reasons. No country in the world is safe from terrorism," Mr Kittiratt said.
However, the government must give priority to security issues, such as immigration and imported chemicals used for making bombs, he said.
The explosions in central Bangkok on Tuesday would not affect the country's economy or the tourism sector. Tourist arrivals and hotel reservations remained high, he said.
The finance minister said he had travelled to Hong Kong recently and investors there asked him about Thailand's political issues, flood prevention measures and domestic economic growth, not about terrorism.