THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Ex-MP ‘has reporter’s pants pulled down’ in revenge for reports on personal matter

Ex-MP ‘has reporter’s pants pulled down’ in revenge for reports on personal matter

FORMER THAI RAK THAI party-list MP Premsak Phiayura allegedly brought an interview to a new low yesterday when he had his subordinates pull down the pants of a reporter.

Reportedly furious over recent reports about a personal matter, Premsak had the reporter’s pants pulled down and the incident photographed and filmed in the presence of four other journalists in a Khon Kaen municipality office.
The five reporters had been made to hand over their cameras and cell phones to officials before attending the morning session. They were meeting Premsak to interview him about a photograph of him sitting next to a Mathayom 5 schoolgirl in what appeared to be an engagement or wedding ceremony.
The image had gone viral on social media including Facebook last week, and reporters have been trying in vain to get a comment from the politician since Monday. After locating him at the municipality office yesterday morning, the five journalists entered a conference room hoping to get comments. They were made to leave all their devices and belongings with seven officials in the room.
Premsak – who now serves as Ban Phai district municipality mayor – reportedly verbally attacked the media for publicising his personal information and photographs of him without permission.
Claiming that the event was held to help the girl’s troubled family, he said he was hurt by news reports and claimed he had not avoided the media.
Despite the journalists’ explanation that they had not published anything personal and just wanted a comment, Premsak allegedly had the Daily News reporter, who is in his 60s, undergo a “body search for communication devices”. After the man’s pants was pulled down and photos taken in front of everyone, a shocked female journalist burst into tears.
Five minutes later, Premsak had the reporter put his pants back on and return to his seat. He then allegedly asked the reporter if he felt embarrassed – as if to demonstrate how he felt when reports on his personal life were made public.
The reporters collected their belongings and left, while the Daily News journalist later said that he would not file a police complaint or press charges, as he hoped the conflict would end because he feared for his safety.
Khon Kaen media association president Pisit Chancharoen later condemned the action, saying it was threatening and disrespectful to members of the media who had only sought a comment from Premsak.
He said the former MP – a highly educated public figure – should have welcomed the opportunity to explain himself instead of expressing dissatisfaction in this manner. He said the association regarded Premsak’s action as a violation of human rights and would issue a formal statement about the matter.
The Thai Journalists Association also issued a statement yesterday condemning Premsak’s behaviour, saying that Premsak should have resorted to legal recourse if his privacy was violated instead of resorting to such an “over-reaction”.
The statement said the ex-MP had violated the Criminal Code’s Article 309 (forcing another person to do or not do something by putting him in fear of injury to life, body or liberty) and Article 310 (detaining another person and depriving the person of liberty).
The association called for the authorities to investigate and take legal action against Premsak to |prevent similar behaviour in the future.
 

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