Published on August 17, 2005
Seapa condemns govt for ‘threat against press freedom’
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) has condemned the Thai government’s decision to pursue a libel suit against the Bangkok Post newspaper as a threat against press freedom.
“It is clear that the government’s course of action is to harass the press,” a statement by the alliance said. “This heavy-handed tactic will have a chilling effect on press freedom in Thailand.” The Bangkok-based Seapa noted that the government’s libel suit against the Bangkok Post came just as the Thai media and public were seeking to intensify scrutiny of contracts awarded for construction projects of the new airport. The media watchdog group also said the government’s legal actions against critical voices might be indicative of officials’ discomfort at increased scrutiny of airport projects. -------------------------------------------- Tsunami recovery Thais to shop duty-free The Cabinet yesterday gave the green light to a plan to allow both Thai and foreign tourists to buy duty-free goods in three southern provinces hard hit by December’s tsunami, a deputy government spokesman said yesterday. Chalermchai Mahakitsiri said the Finance Ministry measures to revive the ailing tourism industry in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi will be initiated between September 1 and December 31. Both local and foreign tourists can buy goods from duty-free shops in the provinces, he said. Crystal and perfume goods will be exempt from excise, while alcohol and tobacco will be exempt from tax and stamp duty. Thai tourists who buy duty-free goods must be non-residents of the provinces or work there, and they must check in to a registered hotel for at least one night or buy a tourist package from authorised agencies, he said. ------------------------------------------- Prisoner death Faulty autopsy was ‘typing error’ The Forensic Science Institute said yesterday a clerk’s typing error was to blame for an autopsy finding that stated the mysterious death of a prisoner was the result of arsenic poisoning. Pol Maj-General Wichit Samathiwat, the institute director, said a forensic pathologist had confirmed drug convict Adisorn Satakurama had died of respiratory-system failure due to a lung-and-liver condition. The toxic report issued yesterday reported there was no strychnine found in Adisorn’s stomach as previously reported, he said. The clerk, Pattaraporn Modekreu, had admitted she mistyped the report and had already corrected it, he said. Adisorn’s mother, Udom Satakurama, had earlier threatened to file a series of lawsuits against Corrections Department officials if a new autopsy showed her son was murdered.
Post your comment to this story here