The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand and the Broadcasting Journalists Association of Thailand have called on the national police commissioner-general to investigate an incident involving the alleged detention and intimidation of a news crew in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao area. The crew, from Amarin TV, was covering a fatal shooting at a mall parking lot on Sunday when the incident occurred.
According to a joint statement released by the two organizations, the Amarin TV team, including a female journalist, arrived at the scene of the shooting, which had occurred during the “Kote Piak” festival. As they began their coverage, they were allegedly detained by a group of men identified as “bodyguards.” The group reportedly demanded that the female reporter hand over the SIM card from her smartphone, which contained footage of the incident. It was also alleged that one of the bodyguards threatened to shoot the reporter in the head.
The news crew was eventually released after the arrival of local police from Lat Phrao. Following the incident, they filed a formal complaint with the Crime Suppression Division. Both media organizations condemned the actions against the crew, describing them as an act of intimidation against the press, who were simply carrying out their journalistic duties.
At the end of the statement, the associations emphasized the need for authorities to address the safety of journalists and ensure that such incidents do not undermine the freedom of the press.
