Chadin Tephaval and Sermsuk Kasitipradit were forced to resign following publication of a story in August 2005, exposing the cracks.

The story irritated former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who labelled it a fabrication and threatened the paper with a billion-baht suit.

One and a half years later, the veracity of the report has been confirmed.

At the association event other outstanding news reports and photographs were also recognised with the Issara Amantakul awards.

The best news report of the year went to Matichon newspaper for its coverage of the Shin Corp sale to Singapore's Temasek. In all, 24 stories from 11 different newspapers were considered.

There was no award in the best local newspaper report but two stories received honourable mentions. They were a story of trespass by big business on public roads in the Saeng Sarika from Nakhon Nayok and a report about the youth of Trat published in Prachamathi.

 Two Nation Group photographers yesterday took home Thai Journalists Association awards.

Charoon Thongnual's shot of gun-wielding police and soldiers surrounding a group of suspected Yala separatists taken last October was named Best Photo.

Nanthasit Nitmetha won Photo of the Year for his portrayal of His Majesty the King delivering a rare public address from a balcony of the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in June. The address marked the 60th anniversary of His Majesty's accession.