What we’ve been doing, where we’ve been travelling to, and what’s next.
After several postponements, I finally managed to get away this month. I spent a week in southern Thailand, visiting the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla.
Working with a local contact, I was able to access locations that rarely see foreigners. It was a fascinating and humbling experience.
If you’re looking for somewhere interesting to travel, I highly recommended heading to southern Thailand. Just be sure to educate yourself on the risks before you travel.
I’ve been posting some photos from the trip on my personal Instagram account if you’re interested.
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time this month conducting contingency planning for the Korean Peninsula. As part of this planning, I’ve been working on air evacuation plans, maritime evacuation plans, shelter-in-place plans and domestic relocation plans. Once of my first consulting projects, back in 2003, was evacuation planning for South Korea. Not much has changed.
Related, I’ve written an article on testing evacuation plans. If you’re working on your own plans, you might find this useful.
A series of my photographs from a trip to Syria in 2020 are currently on display in the Leica Gallery at Marina Bay Sands (B1-82A) in Singapore until 6 November 2022. If you happen to be in Singapore, please do go and take a look. You can pick up the re-issued M6 when you’re there ;)
Training workshops and customised training solutions.
We’ve added a South Korea Evacuation Workshop to our repertoire, joining the Taiwan Evacuation Workshop.
During the 3-hour workshop, we cover the following:
If you’re interested in us running a South Korea or Taiwan Evacuation Planning Workshop for your organisation, please get in touch.
Learn more about our training workshops
Updates on our in-house gear.
I was able to continue field testing of Street Satchel prototypes in southern Thailand. The bags are getting quite the workout and are holding up well.
I’m also back to design work on the Street Pack. I’ve already done some design work and built a prototype of the Street Pack, but it’s high time to revisit in preparation for future projects. The design of this pack is difficult to pin down. Hard to nail the right balance of simplicity, weight and utility.
Street Satchel Mk I options
The Street Satchel Mk I is available in two variants:
Street Satchel Mk I DCF. Made using Dyneema Composite Fabric.
Street Satchel Mk I ULTRA. Made using Challenge Ultra fabric, which is a blend of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polyester.
You can learn more about the difference between ULTRA and DCF variants here. You’ll also be able to see photos of both variants. All Street Satchels come with custom-ordered matte black YKK zips and matte black oxide sliders, UHMWPE webbing tabs for optional accessories, and a 40mm polyester detachable shoulder sling with acetal hardware.
Learn more about the Street Satchel
Curated jobs in corporate security and security consulting.
Tesla has a position in Tokyo for a Regional Security Specialist, Physical Security
JPMorgan Chase & Co has a position in Singapore for a Senior Threat Hunter, Vice President
Tiffany & Co has a position in Hong Kong for a Director-Security
View these and more security jobs at our curated jobs page here.
Our latest articles and updates on selected publications.
This year, I’m writing one article a week on crisis management in a newsletter titled ‘51CM’.
Here’s a list of the articles I published in September:
39/51 Re-Thinking the Unthinkable
40/51 Crisis Preparedness: Korean Peninsula Edition
41/51 Characteristics of Effective Crisis Leadership
42/51 Taking Immediate Action During a Crisis
43/51 Testing Your Evacuation Plans
I’ve completed updating the four volumes of the Field Guide series. If all goes as planned, I’ll be releasing the updates before the end of the month.
If you’ve already purchased these books, you’ll automatically receive the latest version at no additional cost.
View our books and download free samples here.
If you think your organisation or team would benefit from the knowledge and experience contained in these books, please reach out. We can provide discounts for bulk sales.
View all our publications
Links to articles covering Chinese surveillance, Myanmar weapons factories, Nigerian weapons brokers, plus other interesting topics worth your time.
Out of Control. How China outmanoeuvred the Modi government and seized control of territory along the LAC. Read here
How We Would Know When China Is Preparing to Invade Taiwan. If war is Beijing’s plan, there would be reliable indications that it is coming. Read here
Coding in a war zone: Ukraine’s tech industry adapts to a new normal. Displacement, attacks, and air raid alerts are daily life for Ukraine’s disrupted tech workforce. Read here
Tactics of repression: How Iran is trying to stop Mahsa Amini protests. A visual forensics analysis shows authorities using indiscriminate force, making violent arrests and throttling internet service to crush demonstrations. Read here
Ranked: The World’s Most Surveilled Cities. Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? If you live in one of these cities, chances are you’re probably right. Read here
Will protests in Iran end the Islamic Republic? Listen to the podcast here
War Over Taiwan Is Nowhere Near Inevitable. Beijing, Taipei, and Washington can find a path forward to peace. Read here
Drone swarms: How to stop a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?Read here
The Chinese surveillance state proves that the idea of privacy is more “malleable” than you’d expect. The authors of “Surveillance State” discuss what the West misunderstands about Chinese state control and whether the invasive trajectory of surveillance tech can still be reversed. Read here
How Chinese citizens use puns to get past internet censors.Chinese social media companies and users are locked in a never-ending battle between free speech and censorship. Read here
China’s surveillance ecosystem and the global spread of its tools. A report from the Atlantic Council. Read here
Dahua Race and Skin Color Analytic Cameras. Read here
‘Ready to kill’: Inside the weapons factories of the resistance.Across Sagaing Region, revolutionaries risk life and limb to fashion salvaged metal into weapons they hope will turn the tide in the war against the military. Read here
Signal Says It Will Exit India Rather Than Compromise Its Encryption. Read here
Notorious Nigerien Weapons Broker Lands Secret Arms Deal in Senegal. A contract seen by OCCRP shows how Aboubakar Hima, who allegedly skimmed millions from $240 million in corrupt arms deals in his native Niger, may be up to his old tricks further from home. Read here
Inside the Secret Prisoner Swap That Splintered the U.S. and China. Detention of a Chinese executive to stand trial in the U.S. provoked a standoff between global rivals and opened an acrimonious new era. Read here
That’s it for this month folks.
Thanks for reading and stay safe out there.
Grant Rayner Spartan9