German reporter 'attacked' by PCAD at Constitutional Court

[seabass69]

He has the all important "visiting Thai police etiquette" thing going on there...wallet in one hand, point with the other.

[Emptyset]

what a drama queen this guy is

he brings it all on himself - as a reporter in a foreign country in a conflict zone the one thing you must maintain at all costs is neutrality - if you don't then what follows is nobodies fault but your own, this man has been very outspoken in the past - he is far from neutral, if he thinks his press pass and camera will protect him he is delusional........................simple as that

So if Mike Yon reports on the red shirt protest this week and is singled out by Jatuporn as a PDRC supporting reporter (which he admittedly is) and roughed up then is singled out of red shirt TV and websites and subjected to vicious comments by people promising to do him violence, and then a few months later, Jatuporn sends some guards to bring Yon in for questioning when he's taking pictures of a non-red shirt event (like reporting on a court case perhaps) ... well I expect you'd say all that was fine and dandy and that Yon should've known not to reveal his biases in a 'conflict zone'. Especially being the experienced war reporter he is.

You certainly wouldn't be posting stuff about 'violent red thugs' 'fascists' etc, would you? You'd instead write something like: "sorry Mike old son, stop being a drama queen - you've been far from neutral, so what do you expect the reds to do?" And surely, consistent on these matters as you no doubt are, you'd also call Yon out for being biased and say he'd brought it all on himself.

All in the game.

[MGP]

Luang Pu has no idea of who the hell is Nick Nostitz. Perhaps he wants to make a name for himself?

[kimamey]

I guess the so called monk does not believe in freedom of the press. He sends his thugs to intimidate him. What a shameful act by these so called peaceful protesters. And the stupid part is you fools who support Suthep will agree with what the guards did. The man does not like or trust foreigners but get you to support this man who in the future would stab you in the back.

I don't like Suthep but I think his starting of protests was a good thing as it showed what many Thais thought of the government. I think it's time for others on both sides who are less extreme to find a solution as he isn''t what he's good at. Of course I disagree with any violence against anyone including journalists and it's quite likely that many Suthep supporters do as well.

I don't know how unbiased Nick is but that's because the only time I see him is on here when the subject of the 2010 protests and the army's operation at that time is mentioned. I will try to find time to read more about him as what I've seen seems very informative.

I would have thought that bearing in mind the nature of the situation outside the court and the possibility of trouble that there would be sufficient army and police to deal with this and arrest those responsible especially as they were masked and would be likely to be difficult to spot on CCTV. Having said that if the CCTV is widespread enough it's still possible as the perpetrators can be followed until they remove their masks. This is done in other countries. The OP doesn't mention how many people were involved in this.

Whilst we're on the subject of journalists and their safety in Thailand let's not forget Hiro Muramoto and Fabio Polenghi who were killed in 2010 during the protests and the clearing of protesters by the army. It seems that they were almost certainly killed by soldiers who either targeted them or were firing indiscriminately and therefore not within their ROE. Unfortunately the army aren't being investigated due to a decision by the DSI who according to Tarit have to follow government policy. So according to your logic all supporters of the PTP government are fools who agree with the shooting of unarmed journalists and of course any others as well.

[Mr Yim]

what a drama queen this guy is

he brings it all on himself - as a reporter in a foreign country in a conflict zone the one thing you must maintain at all costs is neutrality - if you don't then what follows is nobodies fault but your own, this man has been very outspoken in the past - he is far from neutral, if he thinks his press pass and camera will protect him he is delusional........................simple as that

So you clearly do not agree with freedom of the press. If someone says something that doesnt concur with your view, beat them up. And Sutheps supporters think they are intellectually superior to the reds . . . I dont really need to say anymore.

[binjalin]

Thank God for great journalists like Jonathan Head and the BBC - reporting in an unbiased and factual way

Hated by those who want to twist and manipulate the truth but always reporting, all over the world, at the heart of conflicts and refusing to report anything but FACTS

Edited May 8, 2014 by binjalin

[lomatopo]

Evidently he has been assaulted before...

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/11/29/assault-on-nick-nostitz/

There was a potentially incendiary article on the Economist's web-site yesterday, "Helplessly Hoping", which may have fueled anti-German sentiment among the PDRC?

[h90]

Thank God for great journalists like Jonathan Head and the BBC - reporting in an unbiased and factual way

Hated by those who want to twist and manipulate the truth but always reporting, all over the world, at the heart of conflicts and refusing to report anything but FACTS

Jonathan Head unbiased?

[smedly]

what a drama queen this guy is

he brings it all on himself - as a reporter in a foreign country in a conflict zone the one thing you must maintain at all costs is neutrality - if you don't then what follows is nobodies fault but your own, this man has been very outspoken in the past - he is far from neutral, if he thinks his press pass and camera will protect him he is delusional........................simple as that

So you clearly do not agree with freedom of the press. If someone says something that doesnt concur with your view, beat them up. And Sutheps supporters think they are intellectually superior to the reds . . . I dont really need to say anymore.

reporters are there to report facts not pass opinions - if you can't grasp that concept then don't bother to reply - this man has opinions in other words he takes sides - as I said very dangerous behaviour for a so called reported

I have nothing more to say on the matter

[chooka]

Let me get this straight . . . this attempted abduction occurred outside the Constitutional Court, which at the time was surrounded by reporters, Police and Army personnel (lots of them) . . . and alleged PCAD guards in masks walked about attempting to abduct the totally impartial reporter with no one doing anything until later on when they woke up?

My credulity is being stretched here just a little.

Because you are are a Judas , Suthep supporter, you will deny all evil that Suthep advocate, the court and police is on the Dem's side so they all closed there eyes when this occurred and they always will.

A Judas . . . strong words my friend!

I'll say it again . . . I'm not a fan of Suthep, only of the work he has done to expose and bring to light the many wrongdoing of Thaksin and PT.

As for this incident, my credulity was stretched to believe the Police and Army stood around watching and doing nothing whilst someone was assaulted by people dressed as PCAD protestors and wearing masks. As the Police are very obviously in Thaksin's pocket, why didn't they rush to protect a fellow brother-in-arms red supporter? Why was anyone allowed to wear a mask when Police and Army are nearby? Were they not there to "protect" people? Or was it by chance an orchestrated attempt by non-PCAD protestors to initiate more negative reaction?

Finally, why is it "Nick" that seems to get singled out for "assaults" so often?

Funny you mention about the police just standing around. I did an exchange program with the BIB a few years ago and we driving down the street in Chiangmai when I pointed out to them a farang being beaten upon by a couple of Thais. Their response no problem if he wants to report he will go to the police station. They didn't care less.

[tx22cb]

I still do not understand why the Chanegwattana site has not be retaken by armed police?

It is a gigantic government complex that is needed for government to function properly and yet there is a handful of scum and a few road barriers holding it, send in a massive force at 5 am one morning using tear gas and high powered water hoses why are the Thais so inept when it comes to law and order?

Because everytime the police try to take back a building or area, they are met with armed force and when they respond the army issue statements telling them not to use force and that the demostrations are peaceful.

Lets see if the same applies when the red shirts start demonstrating.

A "friendly" Thai court ruled a couple of months ago that the Govt can NOT remove the various protest sites, stop marches, disperse protesters, remove demonstrators from Govt buildings etc. I personally think this is crazy. But then, every country has their laws which foreigners do not appreciate (US = right to buy machine guns, China = censorship of Facebook)

[Nickymaster]

Nick.jpg Look they made me cry

Maybe he has a problem with his brain?

[fab4]

Not the first time Nick got attacked isn't it. Probably there are reasons for that it's always him who get singled out

He's a photo journalist. He writes articles and books that are "warts and all" type reporting

(http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2014/02/07/the-laksi-gunfight/, http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/06/02/nick-nostitz-in-the-killing-zone-re-post/, for example)

which upsets some people (not only on this forum ).

So yes, probably there is a reason why he (or more importantly, his profession) get singled out. Despite not being macho enough for gentleman jim, he still produces quality work.

[fab4]

Nick.jpg Look they made me cry

Maybe he has a problem with his brain?

Not alone it seems.

Perhaps he was trialling a new version of google glass, or perhaps he was pointing out where he was hit in the first incident with the PDRC guards.

[Wat dee]

I guess the so called monk does not believe in freedom of the press. He sends his thugs to intimidate him. What a shameful act by these so called peaceful protesters. And the stupid part is you fools who support Suthep will agree with what the guards did. The man does not like or trust foreigners but get you to support this man who in the future would stab you in the back.

I don't think freedom of speech is part of this absolute democracy.

[HUAHIN62]

Let me get this straight . . . this attempted abduction occurred outside the Constitutional Court, which at the time was surrounded by reporters, Police and Army personnel (lots of them) . . . and alleged PCAD guards in masks walked about attempting to abduct the totally impartial reporter with no one doing anything until later on when they woke up?

My credulity is being stretched here just a little.

Remember what happened at Lak Si the "popcorn" shooter moved past the army checkpoint to shoot at the redshirts and then took of his mask to pose for a couple of pictures. The PDRC and allies are able to kill and disrupt the country and its people and no court will ever send any of them to jail, you don't send friends to jail.

[Emptyset]

Let me get this straight . . . this attempted abduction occurred outside the Constitutional Court, which at the time was surrounded by reporters, Police and Army personnel (lots of them) . . . and alleged PCAD guards in masks walked about attempting to abduct the totally impartial reporter with no one doing anything until later on when they woke up?

My credulity is being stretched here just a little.

Because you are are a Judas , Suthep supporter, you will deny all evil that Suthep advocate, the court and police is on the Dem's side so they all closed there eyes when this occurred and they always will.

A Judas . . . strong words my friend!

I'll say it again . . . I'm not a fan of Suthep, only of the work he has done to expose and bring to light the many wrongdoing of Thaksin and PT.

As for this incident, my credulity was stretched to believe the Police and Army stood around watching and doing nothing whilst someone was assaulted by people dressed as PCAD protestors and wearing masks. As the Police are very obviously in Thaksin's pocket, why didn't they rush to protect a fellow brother-in-arms red supporter? Why was anyone allowed to wear a mask when Police and Army are nearby? Were they not there to "protect" people? Or was it by chance an orchestrated attempt by non-PCAD protestors to initiate more negative reaction?

Finally, why is it "Nick" that seems to get singled out for "assaults" so often?

"Or was it by chance an orchestrated attempt by non-PCAD protestors to initiate more negative reaction?"

Hmm, fake PCAD guards, eh? Seems about as plausible as all the "fake red shirts" that were running around in 2010. Actually less so, because in this case PCAD control the entrance to the area where Nick was roughed up, so them letting fake guards in seems unlikely. As for why police and soldiers didn't intervene more immediately - perhaps they were unarmed and were afraid. Who knows. Maybe they didn't immediately realize what was going on. Also I'm not sure every police officer is necessarily aware of who Nick Nostitz is.

He's singled out, btw, because he was pointed out by a former Democrat MP from the PDRC stage. Then he was pictured on the PDRC website and described as a red journalist, which invited many violent comments towards him. Hundreds of thousands of people read the website so he'd presumably be pretty well known, and he isn't hard to recognize either. I'm not sure about Thai, but certainly no other foreign journalist has been subjected to similar publicity from the PDRC. In fact Jonathan Head said that while he's aware many protesters know who he is and don't like his reporting, they've generally been very polite towards him. He works for the BBC though, whereas Nick is small fry by comparison and thus considered an easier target, perhaps.

[johnno2]

Point is here is it was attempt to abduct a foreign press journalist because he may or may not be printing things that some might not like ?

come on reporters do what they do, its thier job and so what if you dont like something one writes you dont attack them unless your a thug.

And yes it happened and shame on those doubting it did,

Gestapo and intimidation tactics pure and simple.

Reporters here are well aware of what is going on and that the PDRC are in the main just thugs.

A very telling incident of an attempted abduction by what can be only described as fundamentalist fascist thugs.

Be assured this IS the real face of the PDRC and they are, just like the Nazi party in Germany far from the saviours of the people or the country.

Thailand had better be very careful and so should all of us here if this lot get what they want.

When they came for the jew i didnt speak up because i was not a jew... and all that.. be warned it can happen again.

all the below are excerpts from news reports. makes the "PDRC thugs" look like angels

But in the wake of clashes last month, and a court ruling which barred the government from using force against the protesters, armed groups supporting the red shirts scaled up their attacks on the PDRC. Six people, including four children, were killed.

Some red-shirt groups have started talking openly about creating a breakaway state in northern Thailand. That brought a swift reaction from Gen Prayuth, who is threatening to prosecute anyone discussing secession.

A former military officer now advising the red-shirts on armed operations told the BBC they were planning to recruit 200,000 guards, all of them armed, who would be prepared to march on Bangkok if Ms Yingluck were forced from office, either by the army or by the courts or independent agencies like the NACC

At least 23 people died and hundreds were injured in more than three months of street demonstrations. Protests that began with a carnival atmosphere soon descended into bedlam as shootings, explosions and brawling took place amid the temples and shopping malls of the sprawling Thai capital.

Of 2,500 deaths in the government's war on drugs in 2003, a fact-finding panel has found that more than half was not involved in drug at all. At a brainstorming session, a representative from the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) Tuesday disclosed that as many as 1,400 people were killed and labeled as drug suspects despite the fact that they had no link to drugs

[pookiki]

When the PDRC protest first started, there was a concerted attempt to stifle and/or intimidate the media -- remember the marches on PBS, Channel 3, etc. It hasn't stopped. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are not part of the PDRC's playbook.

[Eric Loh]

It does seem that the PDRC and all their protest allies really have no international media and journalists that are sympathetic to their cause and their methods. Throw in all the international communities who are calling for election. These people are isolated and are living in a world of their own thinking they speak for the local majority.

[newcomer71]

a man with pockets fully lined - might be time to go home

Talking about men with pockets fully lined... Try to google "Michael Yon".

Lots of laugh to come...

[MW72]

Let me get this straight . . . this attempted abduction occurred outside the Constitutional Court, which at the time was surrounded by reporters, Police and Army personnel (lots of them) . . . and alleged PCAD guards in masks walked about attempting to abduct the totally impartial reporter with no one doing anything until later on when they woke up?

My credulity is being stretched here just a little.

Mine is not. There have been multiple attacks on people, many of which have occurred in supposedly safe areas.

Another searing indictment of the police and the army.

Another searing indictment of the police and army. I agree 100%. If the report is accurate the "startled" poilce and army eventually intervened only to remove the victim for questioning and let the perpetrators walk free. Now they are going to have to review CCTV footage to try and identify masked men. Amazing Thailand. All of the police on the scene should be sacked for incompetence.

When are the police and the army going to start doing their job which is to protect the people of Thailand? Anyone at these events regardless of which side should not be allowed to wear paramillitary gear, wear masks to disguise themselves or carry weapons. These people are acting as if they are the law. If there was a decent impartial police force and army then there would be no need for these groups but it is a sad indictment that both sides feel the need to use their own set of thugs for "protection".

[wandasloan]

Just an insight as to what we will see if suthep get control with his paid thugs going around and disposing of the garbage. Garbage of course being anyone who doesn't bow down to the great leader. As Mango Bob said, any foreigner that supports this want to be Pol Pot better hope they don't end up as eradicated by these thugs.

Or, alternatively, what we will see if the Jatuporn-aligned mob ditto. Please don't think there is any exclusivity about this.

Last week, Freedom House came out with its annual world press rankings, and dropped Thailand several ranks and several points. Two days later the Thai Journalists Association had a seminar. Both, quite independently, said the *remarkable* lowering of Thai press freedom in the past six months was because of mob intimidation and violence towards the media. Neither group, halfway round the world from each other, bothered ranking the various mobs according to their effectiveness, although both gave examples of mob violence.

In the past six months, it's been almost all yellow shirt intimidation but don't think for a New York nanosecond that there is exclusivity about that. It's only about who has the opportunity. There isn't a political movement in Thailand at the moment, bar the actual political parties, that have even lip service for freedom of the press.

If you think the government is bad, if you think a Democrat Party platform and rally is terrible, I have 8 or 10 places we can tour together that will change your mind dramatically.

It is one of the shameful aspects of the Thai media itself that it will not even expose this except for brief police-blotter news stories like above, let alone deal with it in the forthright manner that freedom of the press should demand.

.

[kennypowers]

Forget Thaksin, Yingluck, Red's vs. Yellows, etc., it's time the foreigners supporting Suthep started actually doing some research on what he stands for; his foreign policy, his views about foreigners in Thailand, his opinions on freedom of foreign press inside Thailand. I'd have thought from his speeches alone people would have made comparisons with the likes of many past dictators, but still I hear foreigners saying how great Thailand will be when he gets in. Seriously, do you really want this guy in power? Or are you just following your GF/wife's opinion?

Edited May 8, 2014 by kennypowers

[chatette]

This is fascism pure and simple. There's simply no excuses to justify it.

That the police stood around and did nothing makes it all the more chilling, although not surprising. I have experienced this myself when attacked by a maniac on a crowded street.

You can be certain no one will ever be held to task about this attack. They will just grow stronger and bolder.

The murder of Kamol Duangpasuk just a few weeks ago is an example of their mindset and impunity.

Fascism has a long history of support in Thailand. Just read the country's modern history, hard as it may be to find in Thailand -- in keeping with the support of fascism.

Edited May 8, 2014 by chatette

[bigbamboo]

Not him again. And another bad injury too I see.

Funny how he's always 'minding his own business' when he gets into trouble

[arjunadawn]

Yes it's abhorrent to threaten, abduct, or injure others as a means to an end. We can all agree it's wrong. We then associate such an act with current behavior or future behavior if one or another party is in charge here; natural to do so. But rarely is the concept of "freedom of the press" considered; anywhere. Why should the press be afforded a special status, particularly here?

The assertion that the general international press are even remotely objective is sheer folly. The press is for the most part quite determined to skew facts to enable their own worldview to reflect their reporting. In Thailand, for example, the international press has for the most part been lapdogs for western NGOs, Chatham House, CFR, US State, and Wall Street to basically subvert this country. The "Fugitive" was their Lapdog as well and was even groveling at their feet when deposed. The majority of the injury to Thailand the past 12 years has not come from Thailand at all! Period! Follow the money and at the end of that road you find the same employers that send the "press" here to "manage" the news for international consumption and consensus.

When the "press" are no longer objective, by measure or collective consensus, they lose any "protected status" they must normally be granted, and are no more than thugs! The fantastic notion that the press have a protected status exists in law only. On the battlefield of ideas, national imperative, and survival, when the press abuse the privileged status granted it is de facto withdrawn, otherwise our grant of privileged status is a suicide pact. This happens naturally in the perceptions of Man without legal decree.

I don't advocate their actions, but I do grasp the motivation to question the press' privilege.

[lostinisaan]

He should have thrown some Bratwursts at them with Sauerkraut...

[kimamey]

When the PDRC protest first started, there was a concerted attempt to stifle and/or intimidate the media -- remember the marches on PBS, Channel 3, etc. It hasn't stopped. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are not part of the PDRC's playbook.

Maybe not although I doubt many who support the protests support the violence and intimidation.

During the 2010 protests there were instances of the then government controlling the media. I don't know if there was just cause for this based on what was being reported or if the controls were applied in an unbiased way on both sides but this was all done under the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in State of Emergency, BE 2548 (2005). This as you can see was put in place in 2005 under the premiership of Thaksin and was criticised at the time. The Democrat government can't be blamed for the rules of the Emergency Decree but since all it's provisions don't need to be fully used they are responsible if they were used in an inappropriate way.

Since Thaksin was responsible for the Emergency decree it's reasonable to assume he was prepared to use it as well and he has a record for silencing those he doesn't agree with through the courts. The dislike of non agreement affects both sides although I don't know how much support this apparent intimidation by the PDRC gets from the Democrat party .

Edited May 8, 2014 by kimamey

[MichelM]

There is MANY foreign reporters in Bangkok but it is alltime (multiple times) the same German reporter that is "attacked" by PCAD guards!!!

This fact only should be sucpicious!