Press freedom? Thai reporter hauled in for questioning after former top cop's wife accuses him of trespass

[webfact]

Press freedom? Thai reporter hauled in for questioning after former top cop's wife accuses him of trespass

 

Picture: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- A reporter sent to investigate the financial dealings of a real estate business connected to the former head of police has been arrested after complaints were made by the ex top cop's wife.

 

While the reporter and his director who sent him to investigate say he was just asking questions and doing his job. He was not in a place where the public could not go.

 

Pahonyothin police acted after receiving the complaint of trespass from Somthawin Wongsuwan whose name fronts a real estate company in Soi 32 of Ratchada Phisek that is in their jurisdiction.

 

Arrested was reporter Natthaporn Wirawan, 28, who had been send by the Issara Institute to investigate the dealings of former chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan.

 

Reporter Natthaporn was grilled for two hours but said he was doing his duty. He had gone into the "Go-Go Apartment" building as the front door was open. There he began posing his investigative questions.

 

His boss said he had done nothing wrong and was legitimately doing his job in a public place.

 

But the wife of the cop complained and the police talked to him yesterday.

 

Investigations continue.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-08-10

[Bluespunk]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Reporter Natthaporn was grilled for two hours but said he was doing his duty. He had gone into the "Go-Go Apartment" building as the front door was open. There he began posing his investigative questions.

If he is not a resident and was not invited in, then he is, I suppose, possibly guilty of trespass. 

 

Two hours of questioning however, seems somewhat excessive. 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Bluespunk

[BasalBanality]

Spill it out on social media, at least it'd be entertaining for a couple of days.

[Bluespunk]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

His boss said he had done nothing wrong and was legitimately doing his job in a public place.

No he wasn't, unless private residential buildings are now a public place. 

 

You need swipe cards cards to enter mine and use the lifts. 

[colinneil]

24 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

No he wasn't, unless private residential buildings are now a public place. 

 

You need swipe cards cards to enter mine and use the lifts. 

Fully agree with you, the reporter was probably being a bit forward.

Then again a so-called hi-so not wanting investigations into their business affairs getting on her high horse, do you know who i am, and what power my husband still has.

 

[gandalf12]

50 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

If he is not a resident and was not invited in, then he is, I suppose, possibly guilty of trespass. 

 

Two hours of questioning however, seems somewhat excessive. 

If it is residents only then there should have been a guard at the entrance.

[Bluespunk]

13 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

If it is residents only then there should have been a guard at the entrance.

Not really.

 

Could be, as at my place, you have to swipe in. Usually there is a guard, but not always.

 

The story itself says he found an open door. 

 

If he isn't a resident or invited in, then he is trespassing, regardless if there is a guard or not. 

 

A private redidential building is not a public place. 

 

Though, as I say, 2 hours of questioning seems excessive. 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Bluespunk

[spidermike007]

There is probably little doubt this former officer was committing violations, and did not want his illegal acts exposed in the media. He was able to squash this like a bug. So he thought. Social media is the best thing that ever happened to a nation accustomed to the extreme cowardice that defamation allows them, and the censorship that is currently imposed on the media, is not nearly as effective as it could be if the little guy had the totalitarian state he would love to preside over. 

 

Two hours of questioning? Why did you accuse a former officer, who is a big shot, of a crime? Why are you asking questions of one of our own? That is simply not tolerated. You must pay a price for that kind of civil disobedience. 

[tracker1]

The bottom line is Dont muck with the big boys retired or not they still keep their social standing whether it be Police, Politicians or Military

[TheFishman1]

He probably was asking so like where did your husband get all his money O I forgot high up police man TIT

[lvr181]

Feudalism rears its ugly head, yet again 

[Eric Loh]

Why intimidation if you got nothing to hid. 

[candide]

2 hours ago, tracker1 said:

The bottom line is Dont muck with the big boys retired or not they still keep their social standing whether it be Police, Politicians or Military

Additionnally, in this case, he is not any retired guy. Wongsuwan, never heard this familly name recently?

[manhood]

New Thai Lifestyle: denunciation

after all the laws and articles just protect the so called "big heads" and investigating journalism is needed to get a bit of more transparancy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So this journalist has nothing done wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sawadee1947]

oh man, look for asylum. Others did already in US. So you are not alone, many will follow.

[Prbkk]

Hope the journo and his colleagues redouble their efforts to investigate and are not intimidated into inaction. These old guard hisos are utterly clueless when it comes to the new reality of social media. 20 years ago the implied threat would have worked but today it just gets them in a deeper hole.

[fullcave]

Press freedom? LOL  

[gandalf12]

17 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Not really.

 

Could be, as at my place, you have to swipe in. Usually there is a guard, but not always.

 

The story itself says he found an open door. 

 

If he isn't a resident or invited in, then he is trespassing, regardless if there is a guard or not. 

 

A private redidential building is not a public place. 

 

Though, as I say, 2 hours of questioning seems excessive. 

But you have the swipe card which only allows residents into the building 

[Bluespunk]

29 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

But you have the swipe card which only allows residents into the building 

Going into a private residential building you do not live in or are invited into is trespass. 

 

This reporter was guilty of that. 

 

He was trespassing. 

[gandalf12]

30 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Going into a private residential building you do not live in or are invited into is trespass. 

 

This reporter was guilty of that. 

 

He was trespassing. 

And if you were going to the administration office to see them that would also in your interpretation be trespass. Doesnt make a lot of sense does it?

[Bluespunk]

14 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

And if you were going to the administration office to see them that would also in your interpretation be trespass. Doesnt make a lot of sense does it?

That might be a legitimate reason, if the office was inside the residential building itself and if they welcomed drop in visits. 

 

It isn't at my place. The office is in a separate area outside the living quarters.

 

I fail to see why a non resident would have a legitimate reason to visit the admin office, though. 

 

However, that is irrelevant as he wasn't doing that, was he?

 

He was trespassing.

 

Simple really. 

Edited August 11, 2017 by Bluespunk

[scorecard]

18 hours ago, gandalf12 said:

If it is residents only then there should have been a guard at the entrance.

 

Regardless of all of that, public space is a footpath or road etc etc., properly designated in public documents as a footpath, road, right of way, etc. And therefore anybody can walk on / across that area (with proper attention to safety) and anybody can sit on that area as long as it's not dangerous for the sitter or others

 

Does the foyer of your condo have this type of classification? No.

 

Would you object is a anybody just came and sit in your condo foyer for no apparent reason, long-term. Yes you would because it's part of the land you co-own with the other condo owners. it's not a public space.

 

Surprised Issara and this reporter don't know such simple and obvious things.

 

On the other hand I hope the reporter ultimately finds the information he wants and is not intimidated by anybody whilst he is operating / working within obvious laws. 

[scorecard]

12 hours ago, Prbkk said:

Hope the journo and his colleagues redouble their efforts to investigate and are not intimidated into inaction. These old guard hisos are utterly clueless when it comes to the new reality of social media. 20 years ago the implied threat would have worked but today it just gets them in a deeper hole.

 

Well said. 

[boomerangutang]

The opening paragraph of an opinion piece in one of Bangkok's daily Eng.Land newspapers:

 

"The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) has issued a statement urging the government to stop violating people's freedom of expression by invoking Section 116 of the Criminal Code to intimidate the media and the public.  The statement on Thursday called on the government to refrain from threatening journalists and people by exercising Section 116 which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison for those found guilty of sedition or inciting people to commit wrongdoing."

 

Boomer's opinion:  Stifling the press corps is, to me, a bigger news story than Yingluck fleeing her trial.  Thailand is slipping down toward the level of China, Vietnam and North Korea - in its efforts to jail journalists who do their jobs.  Very bad trend.