The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is deeply distressed by the death of Thai journalist
Phamon Phonphanit who was killed in a bomb blast in the Sungai Kolok
district of Narathiwat province in southern Thailand on September 24.
According to Bangkok
Post reports, Sue Samut Atyakam reporter Phamon, 61, is
the sixth person to die as a result the attack, after succumbing to severe burns
sustained in the blast on September 16.
Phamon was injured by a third blast while
reporting two earlier blasts, each set to detonate 20
minutes apart. A fourth bomb was discovered and defused prior to detonation. On
September 24, police arrested two suspects for the attack which also injured
more than 100 people.
“Phamon’s death should serve as a reminder to media
owners to ensure that adequate safety measures are provided to all media
personnel working in dangerous locations,” IFJ Asia-Pacific
Director Jacqueline Park said.
“The IFJ honours the courage of journalists working
in conflict areas who risk their lives to keep the public informed, but is
saddened that this work so often comes at the highest price.”
Phamon’s death is the second in recent years
in Thailand’s
troubled Narathiwat province. On August 21, 2008, Thai Rath reporter
Boonsawat was killed in a bomb blast outside a restaurant in the same
district.
Long-standing civil unrest and violence plagues Thailand’s
southern provinces as conflict between various Muslim separatist movements and government
authorities continues without resolve.
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific
on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ represents
more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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Twitter: @ifjasiapacific
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