This from today's Bangkok Post. It's always been a little dangerous being a journalist here when your views go against the interests of powerful figures:
TTEMPTED SHOOTING
Attack on reporter linked to his work
CHAIWAT SATYAEM
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PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN : The attempted shooting on Monday of a local reporter for the Thai-language Matichon daily newspaper could be linked with his coverage of irregularities in a 130-million-baht incinerator project, a senior police investigator said. Surayud Yongchaiyuth, 42, the newspaper's stringer for Prachuap Khiri Khan, was attacked by two men on a motorcycle while parking his pick-up truck in front of his house in Muang district about 7.45 pm on Monday.
The attackers fired many shots at him but missed. Three shots hit the bonnet of his pick-up and the driver's door.
Pol Maj-Gen Vivat Vatcharakhachorn, chief of Prachuap Khiri Khan police, said he believed Mr Surayud's coverage of Muang municipality's incinerator project at Nong Yapong village in tambon Ao Noi is a possible motive for the attack.
The planned incinerator has met with fierce resistance from local residents who fear it will damage the environment.
According to an initial investigation, Mr Surayud was earlier offered 600,000 baht in cash by those involved in the project in exchange for not reporting on the project or the protests.
The reporter turned down the offer, said Pol Maj-Gen Virat.
On Aug 29 last year, protesters, reportedly mobilised by local politicians involved in the project, protested in front of the provincial hall, demanding that Mr Surayud be expelled from the province. The reporter later filed a defamation complaint with police against Sirapob Yodying, a former driver for Prachuap Khiri Khan municipality mayor Sutthichai Ketraksa, said Pol Maj-Gen Virat.
Mr Sirapob was accused of making false accusations against Mr Surayud during the rally and police were in the process of questioning witnesses, he said.
Seree Samranrom, a Daily News reporter, said Monday's shooting was intimidation of the media. Local reporters would petition the provincial governor to look into the matter.
Monday's shooting was not the first attack on the Matichon reporter, a source said. Unidentified men had fired shots at his house on Jan 20, 2006. That attack was believed to be linked with Mr Surayud's reporting on a dump site project in the municipality.