US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK4286

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 004286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, USPACOM FOR FPA HUSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KPAO, TH 
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALIST SHOT IN TSUNAMI-HIT AREA 
 
 
 1. (U) SUMMARY:  A reporter for a popular daily newspaper 
survived an attempt on his life near his home in the 
tsunami-affected province of Phang Nga on June 1.  The attack 
 
SIPDIS 
occurred following his publication of articles about land 
encroachment on public forest lands by influential business 
and political interests.  The reporter tied increased illegal 
logging activities to local businessmen, who he claimed were 
taking advantage of lands vacated by villagers left homeless 
by the tsunami.  He said these local figures had ties to 
national-level politicians.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On June 22, Public Affairs and Political officers met 
with Manop Ratanajaroonporn, a 10-year veteran of daily 
Thai-language newspaper, Matichon (Opinion of the People). 
Matichon is one of Thailand,s most respected papers, known 
for balanced responsible reporting.  Manop is an Embassy 
contact. 
 
Shot 
---- 
 
3. (U) Manop described how on June 1 he was driving away from 
his family home in Phang Nga, an area devastated by the 
Tsunami just north of Phuket province.  As he reached a 
 
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T-intersection in a wooded area, two pickup trucks blocked 
the roads ahead.  Immediately, 3 to 4 men climbed out of the 
trucks armed with a shotgun and .45 caliber handguns, 
according to Manop.  As he jumped out the car, the gunmen 
began firing.  One bullet struck his thigh, but the 
ex-special forces specialist managed to run into the 
surrounding forest, even as the attackers continued firing. 
 
High-level Attention, Local Inaction 
------------------------------------ 
 
4. (U) The incident was widely reported in the Thai media, 
but Manop said he had not dared contact the local police as 
he suspected they were involved.   Instead, his editors 
contacted officials at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in 
Bangkok.  As Manop was recuperating in a Phang Nga hospital, 
both Minister of Justice Suwat Liptapanlop and Director 
General of the MOJ's Department of Rights and Liberties 
Protection Chanchao Chaiyanukit paid him a visit.  Poloff 
confirmed that the MOJ's Department of Special Investigations 
(DSI) had opened an investigation into the incident and was 
providing around-the-clock personal security for Manop. 
 
5. (U) Media reports quoted Governor of Phang Nga Province 
Anuwat Methiwiboonwut and the Regional Police Commissioner 
promising a "vigorous" investigation, but no suspects were 
named and no arrests have been made.  Manop claims that he 
suspects these officials were involved in the illegal 
activities he had reported, and he does not expect them to 
act decisively. 
 
Reporting on Post-Tsunami Logging Angers Local Interests 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
6. (U) Manop stated that the Director of DSI had said that 
they had concluded that the shooting was not motivated by a 
personal grudge, but by reports Manop had filed.  DSI 
contacts confirmed this assessment with Poloff. 
 
7. (U) In particular, DSI suspects Manop,s reports on 
illegal logging in parts of Phang Nga following the December 
tsunami had angered local interests.  In a series of articles 
 
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published earlier this year, Manop alleged that as some large 
fishing interests had moved into forested areas to reclaim 
fishing vessels washed inland by the waves, they felled trees 
in large areas around the boats, using the recovery efforts 
as an excuse for illegal logging activity.  While individual 
and family fishermen were wiped out by the disaster and 
forced to relocate to refugee camps, larger fishing operators 
had built an entirely new fishing pier on encroached land. 
Manop cited one influential local businessman and politician 
that had gone from 40 vessels before the tsunami to over 120 
vessels in the six months following the tragedy. 
 
Not Backing Down 
---------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Since the shooting, Manop has been living in safe 
houses and monasteries in the region.  When he met with a 
public affairs officer earlier in the month, he insisted on 
coming to a neutral location, saying that he doesn,t trust 
anyone.  DSI officials seem to share Monop,s concerns, and 
sent a rotating team of 4 armed bodyguards to escort him to 
Bangkok to discuss his case on June 22. 
 
9. (U) Manop repeated that he will not quit reporting on this 
story.  He said powerful business interests related to 
current and former national-level political leaders, like 
former First Deputy House Speaker Suchart Thanchareon, and 
the current Governor of Phang Nga Province Anuwat 
Methiwiboonwut, were responsible for much of the illegal 
activity.  Manop reported that DSI had informed him that a 
web of at least 5 influential groups could be involved.  The 
defiant journalist said, "If I don't write these stories, no 
one else will dare to tell the truth," about land grabbing in 
Phang Nga. 
 
A Disconnect 
------------ 
 
10. (SBU) Comment.  Land encroachment and environment 
devastation are nothing new to the Andaman Sea area.  But 
using the tsunami disaster as an opportunity to do even more 
harm, to both poor villagers and the environment, is 
reprehensible.  Like so many public institutions in Thailand, 
this issue highlights the "growing pains" that Thai officials 
and the Thai policy making and implementation process are 
going through.  The actions of senior MOJ officials in 
Bangkok are encouraging and a sign that they understand the 
serious threat of local figures using violence to silence 
critical journalists.  Unfortunately, Bangkok is a long 
distance from Phang Nga, and the disconnect between Bangkok 
policy makers and local Phang Nga officials may be further. 
End Comment. 
 
BOYCE