DOCSLIB.ORG

December 18-10 Pp01

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
December 18-10 Pp01 ANDAMAN Edition Volume 17 Issue 51 December 18 - 24, 2010 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Security boost for high season By Atchaa Khamlo front of their houses, and some car and motorbike rental busi- POLICE in Kathu are boosting nesses were careless in renting out their presence on the streets of their vehicles. Patong for the high season. “They were not specific when The move follows Kathu Police recording the homeland of the per- Superintendent Arayapan Puk- son renting the vehicle and some buakhao meeting his top officers of their cars were driven out of on Monday. Phuket. Col Arayapan called for his of- “So officers will remind people ficers to ramp up security, in to be more careful with their mo- terms of crime suppression and torbikes, and we will talk with safety, and to work towards re- business operators to find ways Patong Municipality’s ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ float leading the parade, ducing the number of accidents to protect their vehicles,” he said. complete with its own angel of the clam. Photo: Janpen Upatising involving tourists during the com- Kathu Police Superintendent As for thieves working Patong Arayapan Pukbuakhao ing months. Beach, Col Arayapan said plain- The result is more checkpoints tainment zone are to close at 2am, clothes police will be patrolling the The carnival is on and more officers on the street, and that police are to ask enter- sands, keeping a close watch on THOUSANDS of people joined in glamorous outfits marched along with an extra presence after the tainment establishments to switch tourists’ belongings. the annual Patong Carnival pa- the streets, from Phang Muang bars close. off their outside lights and make “Many foreigners have had be- rade on Wednesday evening. Sai Kor Rd, along Prachanukroh To make the extra security pos- sure they do not make “too much” longings stolen on the beach, but Held every year for the past Rd then along the beachfront. sible, officers will be working noise during high season. didn’t report it to the police. 25 years, the week-long carnival Each float in the parade extra shifts and some will be “Special officers have been set “Many leave their belongings is held to usher in the tourism stopped briefly in front of Banana pulled from desk jobs. to look after cases of stolen cars on the beach while they go swim- high season. disco, longest running disco in Col Arayapan told the Gazette, and motorbikes,” Col Arayapan ming. Thieves watch them and Starting at 5pm with Patong Patong, to present a quick per- “We have set where the check- told the Gazette. steal their belongings while they Municipality’s Pearl of the formance expressly for Patong points in Patong will be and there “Every month we receive re- [the tourists] are in the water. Andaman float, the parade con- Mayor Pian Keesin and Vice- will be more officers on duty from ports about stolen motorbikes and “Now there will be more plain- tinued for three hours. Governor Weerawat Janpen 2 to 3am.” stolen rented cars. clothes officers keeping an eye School bands and the tradi- before moving along. The superintendent reminded “Some of these motorbike own- out along the beach and reporting tional ladyboys dressed in – Janpen Upatising his officers that bars in the enter- ers left the keys in their bikes in any thieves they see,” he added. Christmas comes early for Phuket pauper By Pimwara Choksakulpan refurbished house on December 13, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday. Rassada Deputy Mayor Ampol O-Art Deputy Mayor Ampol said the project has ONE of the poorest elderly residents of handed Uncle Put his house registration been ongoing since 2006, with the munici- Rassada received a special gift this year: A book and a collection of household appli- pality restoring one poor family home each complete renovation for his dilapidated, old ances for him to enjoy in his new home, year in honor of His Majesty’s birthday. house. including an electric fan, hot water jug and Modest Uncle Put said, “I would like to Put “Uncle Put” Nuengraksa, 73, was electric rice cooker. thank His Majesty and everyone who helped identified by Rassada Municipality as the Mr Ampol said the municipality spent to fix this house. I will live more comfort- most needy among five candidates living in 100,000 baht fixing the five-by-15-meter ably in this new house.” the sub-district. dwelling, which has two bedrooms and one Uncle Put was once a fisherman, but His ramshackle abode in Soi Ta Tan, near bathroom. They finished off by giving the back pain forced him to stop working 10 the Rassada Municipality offices on home a new coat of paint. years ago. Ratsadanusorn Road, was deemed in dire The free home restoration was carried Today he gets by with help from his five need of repair – especially its leaky roof. out under the municipality’s annual “Homes children, now all adults living in their own Uncle Put in front of his ‘new’ home. Inset: At the hand-over ceremony held at the for Locals” project conducted in honor of houses nearby. The dilapidated house before. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS December 18 - 24, 2010 Youth gang guns down Around the Nation ‘brave’ security guard State investigation’s findings on who killed civilians during the anti- AFTER standing up to a gang of young thugs, a security guard was government protests. Page 8 gunned down at a municipal park- ing lot in Phuket. Business Phuket City Police were noti- TAT launch green mark- fied of the murder at 7:40am on December 8 by residents at the eting campaign in 2011. new government workers’ hous- Page 12 ing complex off Rattanakosin 200 Pi Road in Wichit. Entertainment Officers led by Phuket City Police Chief Wanchai Ekpornpit Goddess of fire – rushed to the scene, located off Performer’s smoking the new access road to Saphan Hin from Chao Fa East Road. hot new show. Page 15 Slumped over in a plastic chair inside the guard booth at the en- Construction trance was the body of Winai Phuket Town’s Chao Fa Buathongkham, 54. Mr Winai died from a single East - Saphan Hin short- bullet that entered his skull at the Police inspect the booth where Winai Buathongkham was slain. cut ready to use. Page 23 base of the ear. Evidence at the scene, includ- saw the gang near the guard booth Mr Winai stood up to the gang ing spent casings and bullet holes, on the night, hurling insults at Mr by denying access to the parking Classifieds indicated that at least nine shots Winai, who stood his ground. lot to anyone who was not a resi- Everything you need at prices you were fired in the attack. Later, about 11pm, they heard dent, they said. Police believe the murder was loud noises outside but dismissed Police believe Mr Winai’s brav- can afford, from jobs to homes. carried out by a gang of young them as firecrackers and did not ery and professionalism cost him Pages 27-38 thugs who are well known to them go out to investigate, they said. his life. Sport and local residents for criminal ac- The next morning a resident no- Police said the gang members tivities including car theft, ticed no security guard was on were well known and a request FC Phuket to face motorbike theft and siphoning duty, then looked inside the guard for arrest warrants had already Rayong in a nailbiting petrol from vehicles. Residents booth to discover Mr Winai’s body. been filed. – Yodsak Jarana promotion match this weekend. Page 39 German’s Phuket stay goes to pot A GERMAN man in his 30s is fac- Mr Bergmann must stay on the ing deportation after being found island until his case is heard in Get off the booze bus overstaying his visa and in pos- court, said Lt Col Boonlert. BUS drivers heading out of Phuket session of half a gram of mari- Just in case, police are holding are being breathalyzed before get- juana. his passport until the court ver- ting behind the wheel. Chalong Police stopped Nico dict is handed down, he added. The alcohol checks are part of Bergmann, 33, about midday last An officer at Phuket Provincial the Phuket Provincial Transport Sunday as he drove through a Court confirmed to the Gazette Office’s annual road-safety cam- checkpoint in Soi Thanuthep. today that a date had yet to be set paign in the run-up to the Officers, led by Lt Col Weera- for the case. upcoming holidays, drivers on in- yut Sitthirattanakul, believed Mr Marijuana use is not illegal in ter-provincial buses are being Bergmann was acting suspiciously Germany and police do not fine tested for alcohol before getting and searched his car. people for possession of small on board. A bus driver takes the test. Photo: file In his bag officers found half a amounts, but the drug is listed as gram of marijuana, said the police a Category V controlled substance “This is to assure passengers throughout the period, said Mr Nico Bergmann faces deportation. that drivers are not drunk driving,” Kanok. report. in Thailand. Mr Kanok said. The PPTO will operate a hotline Then police checked Mr Berg- Chalong Duty Officer Boonlert Section 76 of the Narcotics Renowned as the “Seven Days (Tel: 1584) during the Seven Days mann’s passport and found that Onklang. “He can come back af- Control Act of 1979 states: “Any of Danger”, the end-of-year holi- to receive complaints and provide his permit to stay expired on Oc- ter that,” he added.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Thailand's Moment of Truth — Royal Succession After the King Passes Away.” - U.S
    THAILAND’S MOMENT OF TRUTH A SECRET HISTORY OF 21ST CENTURY SIAM #THAISTORY | VERSION 1.0 | 241011 ANDREW MACGREGOR MARSHALL MAIL | TWITTER | BLOG | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. This story is dedicated to the people of Thailand and to the memory of my colleague Hiroyuki Muramoto, killed in Bangkok on April 10, 2010. Many people provided wonderful support and inspiration as I wrote it. In particular I would like to thank three whose faith and love made all the difference: my father and mother, and the brave girl who got banned from Burma. ABOUT ME I’m a freelance journalist based in Asia and writing mainly about Asian politics, human rights, political risk and media ethics. For 17 years I worked for Reuters, including long spells as correspondent in Jakarta in 1998-2000, deputy bureau chief in Bangkok in 2000-2002, Baghdad bureau chief in 2003-2005, and managing editor for the Middle East in 2006-2008. In 2008 I moved to Singapore as chief correspondent for political risk, and in late 2010 I became deputy editor for emerging and frontier Asia. I resigned in June 2011, over this story. I’ve reported from more than three dozen countries, on every continent except South America. I’ve covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and East Timor; and political upheaval in Israel, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. Of all the leading world figures I’ve interviewed, the three I most enjoyed talking to were Aung San Suu Kyi, Xanana Gusmao, and the Dalai Lama.
    [Show full text]
  • Descent Into Chaos RIGHTS Thailand’S 2010 Red Shirt Protests and the Government Crackdown WATCH
    Thailand HUMAN Descent into Chaos RIGHTS Thailand’s 2010 Red Shirt Protests and the Government Crackdown WATCH Descent into Chaos Thailand’s 2010 Red Shirt Protests and the Government Crackdown Copyright © 2011 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-764-7 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org May 2011 1-56432-764-7 Descent into Chaos Thailand’s 2010 Red Shirt Protests and the Government Crackdown I. Summary and Key Recommendations....................................................................................... 1 II. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 28 III. Background .......................................................................................................................... 29 The People’s Alliance for Democracy and Anti-Thaksin Movement ......................................
    [Show full text]
  • Jalt Critical Thinkingsig • Ct Sig the Japan Association for Language Teaching • Jalt Volume 1V, Issue 1, November 2017
    CTLL, Issue iv, i, Volume Criticaland language Thinking learning • ctll 2017 www.jaltcriticalthinking.org volume iv, issue i, november 2017 www.jaltcriticalthinking.org GUY SMITH • MEREDITH STEPHENS ROEHL SYBING • JENNIE ROLOFF ROTHMAN ISSN 2432-4949 Critical Thinking in Language Learning• CTTL The Journal of the jalt Critical Thinking sig • ct sig The Japan Association for Language Teaching• jalt Volume 1v, Issue 1, November 2017. Find out more at: http://www.jaltcriticalthinking.org. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. ISSN 2432-4949 Editorial Board Editor-in-chief: Curtis Chu Associate Editor: James Dunn Assistant Editors: Charles Laurier & Zeinab Shekarabi Board of Reviewers: Adam Gyenes, Andrew Lawson, Carey Finn, Anna Husson Isozaki, Ching-fen Wu, Eric Feng- Jihu Lee, Fergus Hann, Joshi Malatesha, Li-Fen Wang, Todd Hooper, Yu-Fei Liu, Yustsuen Tzeng Cover Design & Layout: james d. dunn Foreword This volume marks our fourth volume of the Critical Thinking and Language Learning peer-reviewed academic journal. In this issue, our journal is showcasing the results of a more vigorus peer-review. The excellent articles that passed the reviewers are the result of the hard work of our chief editor, Curtis Chu, and the editorial board. The CTLL journal, now more than ever, stands as a symbol of our commitment to what the JALT CT SIG can do for the professional development of its members and how we can help expand critical thinking into more areas of language teaching and learning. This year’s journal hosts four articles that share ideas aimed at promoting critical thinking in language learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand: the Calm Before Another Storm?
    Update Briefing Asia Briefing N°121 Bangkok/Brussels, 11 April 2011 Thailand: The Calm before Another Storm? created deadlock that was resolved by a court ruling that re- I. OVERVIEW moved Thaksin’s “proxy” party – People Power Party – from power. This led to the formation of the Democrat-led coali- Nearly a year after the crackdown on anti-establishment tion government, backed by the military. Two years later, demonstrations, Thailand is preparing for a general election. the ultra-nationalist Yellow Shirts have apparently split Despite government efforts to suppress the Red Shirt move- from their former allies and are protesting outside Govern- ment, support remains strong and the deep political divide ment House against Abhisit’s alleged failure to defend has not gone away. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s road- “Thai territory” in the Preah Vihear border dispute with map for reconciliation has led almost nowhere. Although Cambodia. The PAD’s call for a “virtuous” leader to replace there have been amateurish bomb attacks carried out by the prime minister has raised concerns that it is inviting the angry Red Shirts since the crackdown, fears of an under- military to stage a coup. ground battle have not materialised. On the other side, the Yellow Shirts have stepped up their nationalist campaigns Abhisit has stated he will dissolve parliament in the first against the Democrat Party-led government that their earlier week of May after expediting the enactment of legislation to rallies had helped bring to power. They are now claiming revise key electoral rules. He is moving quickly towards the elections are useless in “dirty” politics and urging Thais to elections amid rumours of a coup.
    [Show full text]
  • Thai Street Imaginaries: Bangkok During the Thaksin Era (2001-2010)
    THAI STREET IMAGINARIES: BANGKOK DURING THE THAKSIN ERA (2001-2010) A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE MAY 2012 By Noah Keone Viernes Dissertation Committee: Michael J. Shapiro, Chairperson Konrad Ng Krishna Sankaran Nevzat Soguk Yuphaphann Hoonchamlong Keywords: street politics, Bangkok, Thailand, creative media ii Copyright © 2012 by Noah Keone Viernes iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First I would like to thank my family for their support and enduring assistance in helping me pursue what interests me most. In particular, I’d like to thank my parents, brothers and sisters, my auntie Pamela Viernes and Nyoka Kahoekapu, cousin Bradley Soria, and all my cousins who helped me mold this experience into the landscape of Hawai‘i Nei. I would also like to thank several friends, colleagues, and mentors who each contributed to the direction of this research: Jason Michael Adams, Ellen Boccuzi, Trisilpa Boonkhachorn, Ora-ong Chakorn, Suradech Chotiudompant, Sompot Chidgasornpongse, Edward Coates, Sean Kelii Collier, Rachel Dalton, Amy Donahue, Bianca Isaki, Piyachat Jongtong, Siriworn Kaewkan, Gorav Kalyan, Rohan Kalyan, Krissada Kamyoung, Sirote Khlampaiboon, Pitch Phongsawat, Paul Rausch, Lorenzo Rinelli, Melisa Casumbal- Salazar, Iokepa Salazar-Casumbal, Koichi Shimizu Khanthiwa Sripunwong, Pimpaka Towira, Panu Trivej, Adrean Vargas, Piw, Alice Santasombot, Yo Terada, Vincent Bincento I am appreciative to my committee for their teaching, research, and personal assistance. The exceptional insight of Kathy Ferguson, Sankaran Krishna, Yuphapann Hoonchamlong, Konrad Ng, Noenoe Silva, and Nevzat Soguk, made it possible for me to decode the shifting languages of global politics.
    [Show full text]
  • Attacks on the Press in 2010 a Worldwide Survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists
    Attacks on the Press in 2010 A Worldwide Survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists Preface by Riz Khan Committee to Protect Journalists Attacks on the Press in 2010 A Worldwide Survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists Committee to Protect Journalists (212) 465-1004 330 Seventh Avenue, 11th Fl. www.cpj.org New York, NY 10001 [email protected] Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists responds to attacks on the press worldwide. CPJ documents hundreds of cases every year and takes action on behalf of journalists and news organizations without regard to political ideology. To maintain its independence, CPJ accepts no government funding. CPJ is funded entirely by private contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The Associated Press, Thomson Reuters, and Agence France-Presse provided news and photo services for Attacks on the Press in 2010. Editorial Director: Bill Sweeney Senior Editor: Lauren Wolfe Designer: John Emerson Copy Editors: Shazdeh Omari, Lew Serviss Front and back cover photos: At a Mexico City protest against anti-press violence, a poster recalls the slain reporter Valentín Valdés Espinosa. (AP/Marco Ugarte) © 2011 Committee to Protect Journalists, New York All rights reserved Printed by United Book Press in the United States of America Attacks on the Press in 2010: A Worldwide Survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists ISBN: 978-0-944823-30-9 Board of Directors honorary co-chairman honorary co-chairman Walter Cronkite (1916-2009) Terry Anderson chairman executive director Paul E. Steiger Joel Simon directors Andrew Alexander Michael Massing Franz Allina Geraldine Fabrikant Metz Christiane Amanpour Victor Navasky Dean Baquet Andres Oppenheimer Kathleen Carroll Burl Osborne Rajiv Chandrasekaran Clarence Page Sheila Coronel Norman Pearlstine Josh Friedman Ahmed Rashid Anne Garrels Dan Rather James C.
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand Licence to Kill
    INVESTIGATION REPORT THAILAND LiCENCE TO KILL REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO CRIMES AGAINST MEDIA /////////// INVESTIGATION MADE BY ViNCENT BROSSEL AND NALINEE UDOMSINN ////////REPORTERS WITHOUT BorDerS // 07.2010 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// INQUIRY INTO CRIMES AGAINST MEDIA / THAILAND ///////////////////////////////////////// 2 Agnes Dherbeys/VII Photo mentor program The very violent political crisis that convulsed Thailand in April and May 2010 had a dramatic impact on the safety of journalists and media freedom. The toll was heavy: two foreign journalists were among the 90 people killed, ten other journalists were wounded (some sustaining injuries from which they will never fully recover) and there was a wave of censorship and intimidation without precedent since the 1990s. eporters Without Borders has in- threat posed by the Red Shirts, the Thai army and vestigated 10 cases that are repre- special forces rode roughshod over international sentative of the press freedom vio- law and Thai legislation protecting civilians. lations committed by both parties to the conflict: the army, special INterNATIONAL ENQUIRY NeeDED forces and paramilitaries on the Rone hand, and the Red Shirt activists of the United An independent enquiry that includes inter- Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) national experts is necessary. Thailand’s interna- and their paramilitaries on the other. Reporters tional credibility is at stake. If the government is Without Borders decided in this report to let the serious about wanting to reconcile Thais and learn victims and witnesses of the violations speak for the lessons of this violence, Prime Minister Abhi- themselves. A government representative and one sit Vejjajiva must give much broader powers and of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s more resources to the commission of enquiry that lawyers were also interviewed.
    [Show full text]
  • Bridging Thailand's Deep Divide
    BRIDGING THAILAND’S DEEP DIVIDE Asia Report N°192 – 5 July 2010 Embargoed till midnight on Sunday/Monday July 4/5 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. THE ROAD TO VIOLENT CONFRONTATION......................................................... 2 A. FROM THAKSIN TO THE RED SHIRT RALLY IN 2010 .....................................................................2 B. 10 APRIL AND RACHAPRASONG OPERATION ................................................................................3 C. AFTER THE CRACKDOWN.............................................................................................................6 III. FAILED NEGOTIATIONS.............................................................................................. 8 IV. THE ESTABLISHMENT............................................................................................... 10 A. THE PRIVY COUNCIL..................................................................................................................10 B. THE MILITARY...........................................................................................................................10 C. THE JUDICIARY..........................................................................................................................12 D. THE YELLOW SHIRTS.................................................................................................................13
    [Show full text]
  • Media Hounded by Junta Since 2014 Coup
    REPORT BY BENJAMIN ISMAÏL, HEAD OF RSF’S ASIA-PACIFIC DESK CONTENTI I. OBSESSION WITH “PEACE AND ORDER” 6 1 Blitzkrieg on media 6 2. Censorship and surveillance – any space left for 14 freedom of information online? 3 3. Foreign media – threat to Thailand’s image? 17 II. IS THAILAND’S PRESS STILL CAPABLE OF FUNCTIONING 24 AS WATCHDOG? 1. Media - victims of its own polarization 26 2. Combatting abuse of the lèse majesté law 28 3. Phuketwan trial – 19-month fight over media freedom 34 CONCLUSION 39 RECOMMENDATIONS 40 Couverture : © AFP MEDIA HOUNDED BY JUNTA SINCE 2014 COUP B - Bangkok : The NCPO has imposed a reign of terror since seizing power on 22 May 2014. C - Sa Kaeo An unprecedented province : Somyot crackdown on the Prueksakasemsuk, a media that began in journalist arrested on 30 the first few days after April 2011, is now serving the coup has included C a 10-year jail sentence on censorship orders, raids a lèse-majesté charges on news organizations, B- for publishing two articles and interrogations and deemed to have insulted arrests of journalists the Thai monarchy. and cyber-dissidents. The military have clamped down on the media and have tightened government control of the Internet. D - Songkhla province: : Many Rohingya refugees from Burma concentrate in Thailand’s far south, between A - D Burma and Malaysia. After A - Phuket : Alan Morison, the discovery of mass graves the Australian editor of the in Songkhla province and Phuket-based news website allegations of Thai police Phuketwan, and his Thai and military involvement in reporter Chutima Sidasathian the trafficking of Rohingya were tried before a Phuket migrants, the authorities provincial court from 14 to have reinforced efforts to 16 July 2015 on charges of suppress information about criminal libel and violating the Rohingya issue.
    [Show full text]
  • Thailand's Moment of Truth — Royal Succession After the King Passes Away.” — U.S
    THAILAND’S MOMENT OF TRUTH A SECRET HISTORY OF 21ST CENTURY SIAM #THAISTORY | VERSION 4.0 | 280812 ANDREW MACGREGOR MARSHALL MAIL | TWITTER | BLOG | FACEBOOK This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. This story is dedicated to the people of Thailand and to the memory of my colleague Hiroyuki Muramoto, killed in Bangkok on April 10, 2010. Many people provided wonderful support and inspiration as I wrote it. In particular I would like to thank three whose faith and love made all the difference: my father, my mother, and my brave and beautiful fiancée Ploy. 2 ABOUT ME I’m a freelance journalist based in Asia and writing mainly about Asian politics, human rights, political risk and media ethics. For 17 years I worked for Reuters, including long spells as correspondent in Jakarta in 1998-2000, deputy bureau chief in Bangkok in 2000-2002, Baghdad bureau chief in 2003-2005, and managing editor for the Middle East in 2006-2008. In 2008 I moved to Singapore as chief correspondent for political risk, and in late 2010 I became deputy editor for emerging and frontier Asia. I resigned in June 2011, over this story. My Wikipedia entry is here. I’ve reported from more than three dozen countries, on every continent except South America. I’ve covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and East Timor; and political upheaval in Israel, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. Of all the leading world figures I’ve interviewed, the three I most enjoyed talking to were Aung San Suu Kyi, Xanana Gusmao, and the Dalai Lama.
    [Show full text]
  • World Press Freedom Review January-September 2011
    Press Freedom and Media Development World Press Freedom Review January-September 2011 www.wan-ifra.org/pressfreedom World Press Freedom Review 2011 WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France and Sweden, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news pu- blishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 compa- nies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses. WAN-IFRA Press Freedom 96 bis rue Beaubourg 75003 Paris, France Phone: +33 (0) 147 428 500 Fax: +33 (0) 142 789 233 www.wan-ifra.org/pressfreedom 2 World Press Freedom Review 2011 Summary edia employees worldwide face physical violence and persecution of all kinds, whether from public officials, criminals or terrorists. Assaults are daily - and often deadly - for those Mwho challenge governments, report on conflict or investigate corruption and crime. 44 journalists have been killed so far in 2011 and hundreds of media employees have been harassed, threatened or physically attacked. Impunity prevails in many parts of the world for the perpetrators as they seek to influence or mislead public opinion by targeting a free press. The story of each journalist is different, but fundamentally the issue remains the same; they were sanctioned for pursuing the human right to inform and to express ideas freely - the condition necessary for achieving any other right. 3 World Press Freedom Review 2011 • Media professionals across the Americas are increasingly exposed to the wave of violence resulting from the conflict between drug-trafficking syndicates and government authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • Reporters Without Borders Burden-Of-14-04-2011,39873.Html
    Reporters Without Borders http://www.rsf.org/thailande-attempt-to-transfer- burden-of-14-04-2011,39873.html Asia - Thailand Killed by army bullet? Was army responsible for fatal shooting of Japanese cameraman? 21 September 2011 In a surprising U-turn, Department of Special Investigation chief Tharit Pengdit told Agence France Presse on 17 September that the army was responsible for the fatal shooting of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto during clashes between government forces and “Red Shirt” protesters in Bangkok on 10 April 2010. The DSI previously reported on 24 March that forensic tests had established that the round that killed Muramoto, who worked for Reuters, came from a type of gun that the army had not been using that day. The shift in position came one day after Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung relieved the DSI of responsibility for the special enquiry into the deaths of 13 civilians, including Muramoto, during the clashes in April and May 2010. Accusing the DSI of being ineffective, Chalerm has put the Bangkok police in charge of the investigation. Italian freelance photographer Fabio Polenghi was also killed while covering the “Red Shirt” protests on 19 May 2010. Read the Reporters Without Borders report on violence against the media in Bangkok in 2010 14.04.2011 - Attempt to transfer burden of investigating cameraman’s death on to Reuters Reporters Without Borders deplores Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit’s suggestion that the investigation into Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto’s death could be "delegated" to his employer, the Reuters news agency. “By doing this, any witness to the crime might be daring enough to provide tip-offs to Reuters more than they would to the state officials,” Tharit said after meeting with two of the British news agency’s representatives on 11 April to discuss the investigation.
    [Show full text]