Ex-mayor charged over journalists’ detention
Khon Kaen's Phon Provincial Court prosecutor has indicted former Ban Phai district municipality mayor Premsak Phiayura following an incident in which it is claimed he ordered staff to detain and humiliate five journalists.
Police were told that Premsak ordered his subordinates to detain five journalists and strip one of them to his underwear in front of four others at a meeting room on July 26 last year.
It was alleged that this followed the reporters’ request for Premsak to comment about a photograph of him sitting next to a Mathayom 5 schoolgirl in a ceremony, which he regarded as a personal matter.
Prosecutor Boonchuang Sukpho said on Friday that Premsak and some of the seven subordinates named had been charged with compelling others to do an act by putting them in fear injury to life and body (as per the Criminal Code's Section 309), putting a person in fear by threats (Section 392), and bullying other person before the public and causing humiliation (Section 397).
Boonchuang said he had not indicted all the subordinates because there was insufficient evidence but the five reporters were free to take their own legal action.
One of the five journalists, Channel 3 reporter Pramote Sribura, said they remained convinced all seven subordinates should have been indicted and they would consult with a lawyer over further action.