(RSF/IFEX) – In an 11 April 2001 letter to Interior Minister Purachai Piumsombun, RSF expressed its deep concern about the killing of Withayut Sangsophit, director of the radio station Home Media, in Surat Thani (in southern Thailand). RSF asked the minister to ensure that the inquiry is conducted in a fair spirit in order to […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In an 11 April 2001 letter to Interior Minister Purachai Piumsombun, RSF expressed its deep concern about the killing of Withayut Sangsophit, director of the radio station Home Media, in Surat Thani (in southern Thailand). RSF asked the minister to ensure that the inquiry is conducted in a fair spirit in order to establish the motives for the murder, and to identify and judge the culprits. “If it turns out that the murder of Mr. Sangsophit is linked with his activity at the radio station, it will be the most important violation of press freedom in this country in three years,” explained Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general. RSF reminded the minister of an attempt to murder a journalist who denounced the corruption of local authorities in April 2000.
According to information obtained by RSF, Sangsophit, businessman and director of the radio station Home Media, was shot on the morning of 10 April 2001 by seven bullets from a 9mm pistol in Surat Thani. According to a police officer questioned by the local correspondent of the “Bangkok Post”, the journalist was shot by two or three unidentified persons in front of the radio station. Nobody has claimed responsibility, but the police have two leads.
Sangsophit’s death could be linked to his activities as president of a co-operative, especially since he dismissed several employees during the last four months. Alternatively, the police claim that it could be linked to his professional activity with the radio station. Sangsophit recently denounced the involvement of local authorities in financial irregularities in the construction of a new rubbish dump by the municipality. A few hours after the murder, the police arrested two suspects in possession of 9mm pistols.
Sangsophit had been under police protection for more than three months, after having received a death threat. Anonymous phone calls threatened him with reprisals if he did not stop denouncing corruption among the authorities. In September 1999, a bomb was planted in front of the radio station. About a month later, a mixture of excrement and asphalt was thrown at the windows of his company.
On 18 April 2000, Amnat Khunyosing, editor-in-chief and publisher of the newspaper “Phak Nua Raiwan”, was assaulted and shot at by three unidentified assailants while he was driving his car in Chaing Mai (northern Thailand). He was hit by a bullet and hospitalised for about two weeks. Khunyosing is the author of several articles on corruption among local political leaders. Shortly after this attack, police arrested four soldiers. The murder attempt seems to have been carefully premeditated, but the authors of the attack have still not been identified. Khunyosing and his family continue to receive threats by phone. They are under continuous police protection.
