News teams under attack

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News teams under attack

Published: 9/04/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

UDD supporters have attacked reporters covering their rally, accusing them of misrepresenting the number of protesters taking to the streets.

A Channel 3 team was reporting from a corner of the Si Sao Thewes intersection in front of the Devaraj Kunchorn temple yesterday when they were sworn at by members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

The team estimated about 50,000 protesters were marching on the Si Sao Thewes home of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda.

The protesters were about to attack the news team when Pol Maj Gen Vichai Sungprapai of Metropolitan Police Bureau 1 stepped in to mediate.

The TV team was led from the scene, but not before protesters punctured the tyres of their car.

In a separate incident, a Channel 7 team was attacked by red shirts after reporting their number in the tens of thousands. Protesters swore at the team, tossed water bottles at them and splashed them with water.

A Channel 9 news team was jeered from the rally site by protesters who complained its crowd estimates were too low. Protest leaders asked the team to leave as there was a possibility the mob could turn violent.

The Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and the Thai Journalist Association said yesterday the UDD's explanation that the attacks were carried out by a third party, not its supporters, was simply not true.

About the author

Writer: MANOP THIP-OSOD

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chang nai hong

Discussion 8 : 09/04/2009 at 01:04 PM8
Maybe that's what you can expect after 2 years of heavily biased media. Frustrating for the Red Shirts given they can pull numbers 10 times the Yellows could and they get 1/100th of the media attention.
lynn

Discussion 7 : 09/04/2009 at 11:14 AM7
reds are terrorists!!
Jay

Discussion 6 : 09/04/2009 at 10:48 AM6
Between Red and Yellow color Thailand will loose everything what they have and earn before.

Why can't everybody sit together and discuss about how to take country ahead throught this economical crisis.

Just fighting between Red and Yellow make country more poor and poor and one day no money to buy rice also
Medianottrue

Discussion 5 : 09/04/2009 at 10:16 AM5
The media should be unbiased in reporting but clearly they are, the protestors numbered over 300,000 easily but the media failed to report! Reporters your job is only to report accurate news not use your emotions and reporting biased!
This unjustise has made me switch sides from PAD TO UDD!
tommy

Discussion 4 : 09/04/2009 at 09:35 AM4
The UDD seems to be getting a "free pass" when it comes to violence! I know the government is trying to show that they are more calm and respect the protestors right to protest, but when people are being attacked, including the Prime Minister, then it is time to take action. Any ordinary citizen who would attack people, puncture car tires, break windows, and throw objects at another person would at least be cited for assult, vandalism, or both! The UDD is violating the basic laws or civil order, and should be arrested. Take a good look people of Thailand and see what would be in store for this country should these red shirt thugs take over. Prepare for more violence and the loss of civil order in this country!These are far from peaceful demonstrations, and the devil Thaksin is fueling the fire with his call ins. The plug should be pulled on his call ins because he is inciting violence to destabilize the country. It is unbelievable that he has been allowed to carryon like this, and the government sits by as he incites the people to be violent. You all did notice the story reporting that his entire clan has fled the country! They have effecivly gotten the red shirtds to do thier dirty work and now flee to watch from the safety of another country!Wake up red shirts, you've been duped!!
THUGS

Discussion 3 : 09/04/2009 at 08:56 AM3
Well just another example showing that UDD is mostly ignorant and uninformed thugs.

What else do you expect with such a corrupt meglamaniac leading them, a man with no morals or ethics, who knows very well how to incite the typical eople UDD attracts and how to fill their brains with things which are masivelly unbalanced and twisted.
kanit

Discussion 2 : 09/04/2009 at 04:51 AM2
Thier leader is a convict, How can trust it followers words.
Tommy

Discussion 1 : 09/04/2009 at 03:41 AM1
Suggest that all the news and media stop news coverage on the Red movement. This is one way of stopping their barbaric protest.

News teams under attack