(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a joint press release by TJA and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA): TJA Protests Killing of a Provincial Reporter On Wednesday, February 12, the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) protested against a fresh killing of a provincial reporter in Phuket Province and urged police to quickly bring the culprits to […]
(TJA/IFEX) – The following is a joint press release by TJA and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA):
TJA Protests Killing of a Provincial Reporter
On Wednesday, February 12, the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) protested against a fresh killing of a provincial reporter in Phuket Province and urged police to quickly bring the culprits to justice.
Surapong Ritthee, 43, was gunned down by an armed man in front of a grocery store at about 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday. He was a reporter for Thailand’s mass circulation daily, Thai Rath, and Channel 3 television station in this world-renown beach resort town. He also owned the bi-monthly Siang Tai Rai Wan newspaper (Voice of the South), and had several businesses in Phuket, including a pub and restaurant and a shrimp farm.
In its statement issued on February 12, TJA said it believed Mr. Surapong had duly and honestly performed his duty as a reporter. Police suspected Surapong’s expose on a pub in Patong beach operating an illegal girl show might have caused his death. After the report, the provincial authorities ordered the closure of the premises, causing its owner to lose millions of Baht.
TJA urges local politicians and mafia bosses to use legal means to settle problems or conflicts that may arise from media reports, instead of using this stereotypical violence
In light of this incident, TJA also calls on provincial reporters who work for both national and local newspapers to duly perform their duties in accordance with the journalistic ethics outlined by the Press Council of Thailand. It also warns them to avoid meddling in any illegal business or having vested interests that may cause them to violate journalism ethics.
The statement also urges the national police chief to bring the culprits to justice and make the investigation transparent, since the case is in the interest of the public and has implications for the development of press freedom in Thailand.
The victim was this year’s first reporter believed to have been killed over his expose of unscrupulous business interests in the provinces. He was the second Thai Rath reporter to be killed in this famous tourist resort town since 1995.
