Thai PBS journalist detained on 2015 trespassing warrant

By Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

 

Photo from: Mueng Rae Muang Loei's Facebook fanpage

 

Kanchanaburi border authorities arrested Thai PBS journalist Jamon Sonpednarin on Wednesday and transferred him to Wang Saphung police in line with arrest warrant issued last year.

 

Jamon was detained by officers at Phu Nam Ron Border Crossing Point in Kanchanaburi as he was crossing the border to Myanmar for work purposes.

 

He was detained for allegedly illegally trespassing at a mine operated by Thung Kham Company in Loei province’s Wang Saphung district.

 

He was sent to Kanchanaburi Police Station and stayed overnight pending transportation to Wang Saphung Police Station on Thursday morning.

 

Jamon wrote on Facebook that he had never received a summons or been notified of a warrant.

 

Theeraphan Phankiri, a lawyer with Community Resource Centre Foundation assisting Jamon, said the warrant stemmed from Thung Kham Company’s May 2015 lawsuit against two activists for trespassing at a copper mine area on Phusam Pabon Mountain, where the company claimed to have a land concession.

 

During the incident, Jamon documented the activity of local activists demanding the closure of the mine and restoration of the environment.

 

The Loei Provincial Court dismissed the case on November 25, 2016 because the company’s permission to use the land, granted by the Royal Forest Department and Agricultural Land Reform Office, had expired. However, Theeraphan said the warrant was still valid for Jamon because he was not a defendant in the case.

 

“According to the law, the arrest warrant will be ineffective in three circumstances: The person on the warrant is arrested, the court revokes the warrant or the case expires. In Jamon’s case, only two activists were arrested and tried in court, so technically his warrant is still valid,” he said.

 

However, Theeraphan added that last year’s judgment would benefit Jamon, who could cite it to avoid a trial. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30332907

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-30

sounds like more selective law; remember , the very very last thing we want is for the public to know everything

That's just ridiculous. 

Excellent news. Shoot the messanger. Freedom of the Press, my ass.