Human rights activists have called for the protection of a freelance television reporter from legal action after his coverage of local protests against a controversial gold mining site in Loei prompted a police investigation.
The Fortify Rights and the Community Resource Centre Foundation (CRC) yesterday demanded authorities drop the legal complaint against journalist Jamon Sonpednarin.
The group admits he took part in the peaceful protest at an open-pit gold mine in Loei's Wang Sa Phung district in 2015. However, they say this does not justify police taking action against him.
The calls were made with the police poised to submit their report to prosecutors today.
Sor Rattanamanee Polkla, lawyer for the CRC, said the authorities should demonstrate their commitment to the protection of human rights and immediately drop the complaint against Mr Jamon.
She said such investigations into fair reporting are destroying the right and freedoms of the media to disclose the facts to the public.
She also added the case has created a climate of fear among professional journalists which is preventing them from reporting on issues which are affecting the lives of residents in their communities as well as the natural environment around them.
Amy Smith, the CRC executive director, said the right to protest, including the right to free expression and assembly, is protected under international law. She stated the legal complaint against Mr Jamon is unwarranted and the authorities should close the case without delay.
In 2016, the Loei Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant against Mr Jamon, a 36 year-old freelance reporter for the ThaiPBS channel, on charges of trespassing and "disturbing the possessions" of an open-pit gold mine previously managed by the mining company Tungkum Limited.
He was arrested along with two villagers who also faced the same charge.
The authorities investigated Mr Jamon's alleged involvement in erecting green flags and using lime powder to write "Close the Mine and Rehabilitate" on the grounds of the facility on May 14, 2015.
Mr Jamon said the legal complaint will not prevent or deter him from doing his job.
"I covered the story for over three years and learned how much they [the residents] had suffered," he said.
"I just let the public hear their voice, which is the basic principle of a professional journalist."
He said he was hopeful of a positive outcome after the Loei Provincial Court last year acquitted the two local residents who faced the same charges.
The court found the pair not guilty due to insufficient evidence that the mining company possessed the land at the time of the incident.
According to Mr Jamon, many residents complained their environment and health were being disrupted by the mining activity and had asked state agencies to close down the mine.
Clashes between the locals and the authorities over the mine's activities were reported in the media at the time.
In January last year, the National Council for Peace and Order issued an order under Section 44 banning all gold mining activities countrywide after complaints about the impact on towns and villages near to the facilities.