Government officials are tightening their security following the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe by a disgruntled man in the Nara prefecture on Friday.
The killing of Japan's longest-serving premier at a political rally has sent shockwaves across the world, including Thailand, where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is reportedly still using a bulletproof Benz S600 Guard sedan, worth 19.5 million baht, as his vehicle.
According to a source at a security agency, agents are beefing up safety measures for the country's leaders, such as Gen Prayut and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, to prevent such an incident from happening.
National security is also expected to be intensified to anticipate incidents aimed at disrupting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November.
Security protocols are to be beefed up to ensure safety during today's meeting between visiting United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Gen Prayut.
The premier's plans to survey the provinces next month will be halted as agents review safety measures, the security agency source said.
Meanwhile, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, deputy chief of the national police, said safety protocols will be tightened to ensure the safety of the country's leaders.
The move can boost the confidence of VIP guests from foreign countries, he said, adding it will be put into action following an announcement.
"We must learn from previous lessons to ensure preparedness in handling uncertainty," he said.
Asked if the police have detected suspicious movements among foreign visitors, Pol Gen Damrongsak said they haven't.
For now, the priority is ensuring that this year's Apec summit is held smoothly, with tight security placed around invitees, he said.
