(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 20 April 2000 letter to Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, CPJ noted that it is dismayed by the recent assassination attempt against Amnat Khunyosying, owner and editor of the Thai-language newspaper “Phak Nua Raiwan” (“Northern Daily”), published in Chiang Mai. On 18 April, around 4:45 p.m. (local time), Amnat was outside the […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 20 April 2000 letter to Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, CPJ noted that it is dismayed by the recent assassination attempt against Amnat Khunyosying, owner and editor of the
Thai-language newspaper “Phak Nua Raiwan” (“Northern Daily”), published in Chiang Mai.
On 18 April, around 4:45 p.m. (local time), Amnat was outside the Lanna View housing estate, off the Chiang Mai-Lampang highway, when he was shot in the stomach by an unidentified gunman. Amnat allegedly had been followed by three men driving a Toyota Soluna car, covered with white powder, according to CPJ’s sources. The assailants reportedly left Amnat for dead, and he was found by nearby residents who took him to McCormick Hospital. Though he was in critical condition, Amnat is said to be recovering after undergoing surgery.
“Phak Nua Raiwan” is one of the leading Thai-language papers in the northern region, and is known for its aggressive coverage of local political corruption. Police suspect that the assassination attempt was made in retaliation for the paper’s political coverage, according to a report published in the “Bangkok Post”.
CPJ joins the Thai Journalists Association in condemning this brutal attack.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the prime minister:
– condeming this brutal attack
– urging His Excellency to ensure that a prompt and thorough investigation is made into this crime, so that the assailants may be brought to justice
– noting that violent attacks against Thai journalists and official interference with the press have declined markedly in recent years, making the Thai press one of the freest in Asia
– adding however, that with journalists increasingly tackling sensitive issues of corruption, it is crucial that authorities act decisively to protect them from violent reprisals for their reporting
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Chuan Leekpai
Prime Minister
Government House
Bangkok, Thailand
Fax: +66 2 282 8587
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
