(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 24 August 2005, “Bangkok Post” news editor Chadin Thepaval resigned over the paper’s flawed report about cracks in the runway of Thailand’s new international airport. The resignation followed pressure from “Post” management that Chadin quit and take responsibility for the erroneous report that resulted in a criminal suit against the prestigious daily. […]
(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 24 August 2005, “Bangkok Post” news editor Chadin Thepaval resigned over the paper’s flawed report about cracks in the runway of Thailand’s new international airport. The resignation followed pressure from “Post” management that Chadin quit and take responsibility for the erroneous report that resulted in a criminal suit against the prestigious daily.
Chadin was one of two editors responsible for the 9 August front-page story alleging there were severe cracks at touchdown points on the Suvarnabhumi airport runway. It quoted an anonymous source as saying U.S. experts brought in by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra recommended the reconstruction of the runway.
The paper was forced to issue a retraction and an apology after the report was found to be wrong. Despite the paper’s quick retraction, on 15 August the Airport of Thailand and the New Bangkok International Airport filed a criminal libel suit against the paper and its chief editor and threatened it with a civil libel suit.
After tendering his resignation Chadin left the office quietly, telling staff in a note, “I am deeply touched by what you have done [for] me, but I do not want to drag you all into a legal case,” according to the 25 August edition of “The Nation”, Thailand’s other English-language newspaper.
Earlier, “Post” staff wore black and signed petitions to newspaper management urging them not to fire the two editors involved but to take other disciplinary action instead.
A source at the “Post” said management ignored a recommendation made by the paper’s disciplinary committee that the two editors’ salaries be frozen and their annual bonus withheld.
The source told SEAPA that the other editor did not intend to quit despite mounting pressure.
