Reporter busted snooping around Patcharawat’s home
An Isra news agency reporter investigating former police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan’s personal assets has been charged with entering private property without permission.
Nattaporn Veeranant is free on bail after being arrested over the Wednesday night incident at an apartment building in Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek area.
Prasong Lertratanawisute, director of the Isra Institute, which runs the news agency, said Nattaporn had met the apartment's caretaker and asked for an interview, so he was baffled why his reporter was charged with entering the building without permission.
He said it’s not clear if the charge represents an attempt to curb press freedom.
Patcharawat was last Wednesday acquitted in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders along with former premiers Somchai Wongsawat and Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and former Metropolitan Police chief Pol-Lieutenant-General Suchart Muenkaew.
The four were found not guilty in regard to a police crackdown on yellow-shirt protesters in October 2008 that left two people dead and more than 400 injured.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has indicated it is investigating other matters concerning Patcharawat, including alleged “unusual wealth”.