( CNN ) -- Investigators in Thailand have arrested a Lebanese terror suspect who is accused of trying to attack spots in Bangkok that are popular with Western tourists , the Thai government said Friday . It came the same day the United States and Israel warned their citizens in Thailand of the possibility of imminent terrorist attacks in busy tourist areas of Bangkok . The Thai government said the terror suspect is believed to belong to Hezbollah , the Shiite Muslim group active in Lebanon that the United States views as a terrorist organization . The United States had passed information to Thai authorities that caused the Thai government to be on high alert and to look for suspects , said Thitima Chaisaeng , a spokeswoman for the Thai government . Neighboring countries received similar information , Chaisaeng said . A U.S. Embassy statement spoke of `` foreign terrorists '' who may be planning attacks `` in the near future . '' It urged U.S. citizens to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok . A U.S. official says the terror threat against U.S. and Western interests is `` very real '' and remains an `` active investigation , indicating others might be involved in the plot and are being sought . The official would not discuss any details of the nature and timing of any planned attacks . The embassy did not provide any further information on the source of the threat . Israel 's Counter Terrorism Bureau issued a `` serious travel warning '' for Bangkok on Friday afternoon , saying there is a possibility of an attack against Israeli tourists `` in the immediate time frame . '' The warning says said the Lebanese suspect who was arrested is a member of Hezbollah and part of a group planning an attack in the Thai capital . Thailand is a highly popular tourist destination , and Bangkok serves as a major transport hub for the Southeast Asian region . Analysts Friday were split on the possibility that Hezbollah , designated by the United States as a terrorist organization , is active in the country . `` Historically , Hezbollah has n't had an active presence in Thailand , '' said CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen , who called the claim `` pretty surprising . '' But Matthew Levitt , an expert on counterterrorism and intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy , said the group has acted there before . `` Hezbollah has been active in Thailand in the past , most notably the attempt to blow up the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok in 1994 , '' said Levitt , the author of the upcoming book `` Hezbollah 's Global Footprint . '' `` It has retained most of the logistical activity in Thailand for many years , and if in fact this individual is tied to Hezbollah , this would not be something new , '' he said . Thailand has undergone periods of unrest in recent years . It experienced a spate of political violence during anti-government demonstrations in 2010 . And Muslim separatists in southern Thailand have long battled government forces in a country that is overwhelmingly Buddhist , with a number of bombings taking place last year . The embassy said U.S. citizens should `` maintain a heightened awareness when out in public , '' advising them to be on the lookout for unattended packages and bags in public places and other crowded areas . It also suggested that they `` keep a low profile in public areas , particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists . '' Fran Townsend , a national security analyst for CNN , reported that Thai officials at one of the airports serving Bangkok were conducting pat downs and bag searches on all passengers at the departure gate for U.S. air carriers . CNN 's Michal Zippori , Pam Benson , and Melissa Gray contributed to this report .
NEW : Analysts split on possibility of Hezbollah activity in Thailand . Thai investigators arrest terror suspect . TL;DR NEW The United States and Israel issue travel warnings for Bangkok .