Thailand’s main press association said on Monday it is gravely concerned that undercover police appear to be posing as journalists after a video circulated showing a man with official press ID arresting an anti-coup protester in the capital.
Thailand’s ruling military junta has launched a major campaign to suppress dissent since staging a coup on May 22. On Sunday, authorities said about 5,700 soldiers and police were deployed around Bangkok to stop planned anti-coup demonstrations.
On the sidelines of one of the protests, several plainclothes men escorted a woman to a motorcycle as she frantically called for help and asked them, “What right do you have to arrest me?” according to a video posted on the website of the Thai newspaper Matichon .
One of the men is wearing a black badge around his neck that says “PRESS” along with a green cloth that looks like an arm band issued to reporters by the Thai Journalists Association.
The Thai Journalists Association said it was “gravely concerned” by the tactic.
