Journalists In Firing Line In Thai Clashes

[frodo]

While people slag the army for doing their job, what about those reds? Peaceful chaps, right?

Looks as though they shot a Thai journalist, luckily the army was there to pull him out of harms way even more from the terrorists that have taken over Bangkok.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least when the leaders invited the media to the stage this evening, it was to hold them hostage or worse. Terrorists!

[frodo]

ThaivisaNews: Update: Police apartment at Lumpini, injuried have been taken to Bumrungrad Hospital. Five people including 1 child.

THE NATION: Pls note that the M79 that hit Lumpini Police Station just happened like half an hour ago.

The reds are targeting civilians now.

Not surprising to say the least. This guy that the military shot seemed like a sniper to me. Peace loving reds.

At 5 pm, a military sniper shot down an armed red-shirt protester who was on top of a building opposite from the bunker of the troops in front of the Bon Kai community on Rama IV Road.

The military sniper spotted the protester carrying a gun on the opposite building so he fired at the man, sending him down immediately.

The exchange of gunfire between the two sides continued. An M79 grenade was fire at the bunker but it fell 50 metres short.

The Nation

[tomyummer]

Hats off to all the reporters in the war zone. You guys are our eyes and ears to the situation. Thanks.

Journalists, reporters, cameramen and medical personnel should all be off limits. Not that all shots were intended though. Can't expect reds nor the security forces to all be straight shooters.

And by all means, women and children, get the hel_l out of there. The parents of the 10-year old shot today should be thrown in jail for even thinking of having the kid there.

[balo]

Do they have leaders with brains in this country ?

They are behaving like monkeys with their small brains.

Edited May 15, 2010 by balo

[tomyummer]

Do they have leaders with brains in this country ?

They are behaving like monkeys with their small brains.

Ummm.....please don't insult monkeys on this site.

[GungaDin]

I don't know anything about Nelson Rand but that video looks and sounds a bit suspicious. You don't get hit twice by an M16 and get get up and run like that. Also you can hear more small caliber weapons firing than military type. Both sides were obviously shooting.

Either way, no one "deserves" to be shot laying on the ground.....

Anyone have a link to the video mentioned?

[kissdani]

TIPS to avoid being shot at, even rubber bullets:

- Don't dress like the worst trouble makers

- Don't stand next to the trouble makers

- Don't approach the army from the direction of the troublemakers

- Have your camera visible

Some fail at all 4.

If the 'wrong' t-shirt color puts you at risk of being shot on by the army in bangkok in their attempt to restore peace and normalcy then is something clearly wrong.

[Dicktracy]

NO EXCUSE for shooting the Press they are not armed and this shows clearly that the engagement rules are pure BULLSHIT those are live rounds only used in self defense or shoot an armed red shirt or in the air

The french guy was shown on tv BEING SHOT multiple times he was not armed in any way and was on the floor form the first shot when he was shot twice more.

RIDICULOUS and do these abhisit monkeys really think people cant see clearly on TV that the solgiers are opening fire freely and without sticking to the so called rules of engagment of live fire

they were shot by Red Shirts...

[Dicktracy]

NO EXCUSE for shooting the Press they are not armed and this shows clearly that the engagement rules are pure BULLSHIT those are live rounds only used in self defense or shoot an armed red shirt or in the air

The french guy was shown on tv BEING SHOT multiple times he was not armed in any way and was on the floor form the first shot when he was shot twice more.

RIDICULOUS and do these abhisit monkeys really think people cant see clearly on TV that the solgiers are opening fire freely and without sticking to the so called rules of engagment of live fire

He was right in the middle of the gun fight between the reds and the army.

He had no protection. Did he think he was bullet proof?

Was he hit by the army? Was he hit by a stray bullet, or just schrapnel from a richochet?

It's a dangerous job. He should be wearing protection. He should be identifiable.

The hospital reported he was SHOT 3 times once in the leg once in the midrift and one in the wrist 2 of those bullets hit him as he lay calling for help.

No shrapnel he was targeted on the ground Period

Som Nam Na..............

[Dicktracy]

You are quickly forgetting the guy driving the van with a women and child in it tried to drive right through a check point. These check points are well lit. Maybe he was scared or maybe he didn't see it or maybe he was drunk. Nobody knows. It is just a sad, sad situation, but not to be politicized.

You have obviously not read the detailed report of the incident.

The driver was drunk, had a van load of red propaganda material (which the army did not know at the time of opening fire) and he gunned the engine to race at the army check point. He ignored army instructions to slow down and be checked. They opened fire at the tyres to stop the vehicle (standard SOP worldwide in such circumstances). Once it was stopped he was in the vehicle alone, but injured by one bullet to the abdomen.

Outside the vehicle and away from it, a woman and child were hit by bullets that had either missed the vehicle, ricocheted to them, or passes through the vehicle and travelled onwards. They were neither in the vehicle, nor associated with it. They were along the line of fire and beyond the point of aim. I doubt very much if they were even seen by the soldiers aiming at the vehicle - generally when shooting in such circumstances, you need a non-shooting colleague to be observing the surrounds and advising you of next target / new threat and so on. Your entire attention is on the target and point of aim.

Precision shooting, such as at the tyres of a high speed vehicle requires a lot of concentration and ignoring of distractions. Even the non-threat situation of shooting-range static target precision fire requires mental isolation from external distractions - try it sometime.

----

What is happening in Bangkok right now is the worst possible self-preservation situation for a journalist. You have multiple military units in varying uniform types. You also have armed civilians in the usual wide assortment of civilian garb, and paramilitary units in pseudo uniforms of a varying type. It is impossible to know what to wear to distinguish yourself as you move from flashpoint to flashpoint to get the news that is craved by all - including any addict to the ThaiVisa news boards - I have sometimes considered there should be a "dress of the day" (colour and style) posted by local news associations for journalists, or by authorities, but this too could be counter-productive as it could afford disguise to those the authorities are seeking, allowing them to penetrate restricted zones and perpetrate that with the authorities are seeking to prevent.

In this context all journalists are between a rock and a hard place. But never forget that the public's demand for news and footage from "the thick of the action" is what places news people in those locations - if you were all less demanding and bloodthirsty, we would not have to venture into those danger spots. WW2 and Vietnam, followed by events like the Falklands War set the public expectations for visual evidence of the text reports. In some ways the press created the rods for their own backs by doing such good jobs in theatres where the line between friend and foe was much clearer. Urbanised civilian insurrection is the murkiest of all waters from which to report, and therefore the most constantly hazardous to those reporting.

Please think about these things before callously throwing "som nam na" messages at my colleagues who have been injured or killed. Even non-accredited citizen journalists deserve kudos for bringing you the images and stories you devour. There are not enough registered journalists to be everywhere at once, and just like at a wedding, some of the best photography is captured by guests, not the professional hired to create the album.

Come on guys, lets not get all serious about this....its Great fun...

[Dicktracy]

I would claim he is not a reporter, but more an 'reporting activist'.

Meet several using Twitter that reports very distorted events and highly selected images that proclaim they, amongst many things, are reporters for some papers back home. The downsizing on the staffs have lead to a lot of free-lancers making some extra cash...with dubious quality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Rand

Rand Nelson, Rand!

He was not shot with Real Bullets, but with little lead balls, these were Not fired from an Army weapon...!! Looks to me like a set-up.... Another Book..??

[GungaDin]

I would claim he is not a reporter, but more an 'reporting activist'.

Meet several using Twitter that reports very distorted events and highly selected images that proclaim they, amongst many things, are reporters for some papers back home. The downsizing on the staffs have lead to a lot of free-lancers making some extra cash...with dubious quality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Rand

Rand Nelson, Rand!

He was not shot with Real Bullets, but with little lead balls, these were Not fired from an Army weapon...!! Looks to me like a set-up.... Another Book..??

Dick, good name for you.

Source?

Otherwise <deleted>.