‘Clear’ evidence Thai troops killed Japanese cameraman

Tuesday 29 Nov 2011
Thai authorities have clear evidence that government troops were responsible for the death of a Japanese cameraman during a crackdown on opposition protests last year, a top official said today.

The announcement came a day after Thai police said they had summoned former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy in connection with deaths during the April-May 2010 “Red Shirt” demonstrations in Bangkok.

“After investigation, it’s very clear in the case of the Japanese cameraman (Hiroyuki Muramoto) that it was the act of government security forces. There are eyewitnesses as well as forensic evidence,” Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told the Japanese ambassador at Government House.

It is the first time that Mr Abhisit has been summoned by police for questioning over his government’s handling of the protests, which ended when army troops firing live rounds as they stormed the fortified rally site.

Police initially insisted that soldiers were not behind the killing of Mr Muramoto, a Reuters cameraman who was shot during clashes between troops and protesters, as was Italian freelance photographer Fabio Polenghi.