Chinese journalists arrested at Thai border released without charges
Conflicting reports fuel controversy amid fragile ceasefire in conflict zone
Thai police confirmed that three Chinese men arrested in the border province of Surin on Tuesday, July 29, are journalists. The trio were released without charge after being found filming in a restricted military zone.
Officers from Kap Choeng Police Station arrested the Chinese men in Kap Choeng district, Surin, at around 11pm. They were reportedly apprehended near the Chong Chom border area, where recent military clashes had taken place.
The men were said to take photographs and record videos of military bases and restricted areas, which the Royal Thai Army (RTA) had previously warned journalists and content creators to avoid.
According to police, the Chinese nationals claimed to be state-affiliated journalists sent by the Chinese government. They also claimed to know several high-profile people, including Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Thai netizens later identified one of the men as appearing in a TikTok video filmed outside a convenience store that was severely damaged during the recent clashes.
Initial reports from Thai news agencies alleged that the men were in possession of counterfeit documents and using a vehicle with a fake registration plate.
However, today, July 31, the Superintendent of Kap Choeng Police Station, Kamphon Nonuch, clarified that these claims were incorrect. After a thorough inspection of the three foreign men’s documents, police confirmed that the men had entered Thailand legally and no counterfeit documents were presented.
Kamphon stated that the journalists had travelled to Thailand with a group of university students, although the students’ nationalities were not specified in the report.
According to Kamphon, the journalists were in the country to follow up on developments following a recent ceasefire agreement.
ThaiRath reported that the journalists were released following an investigation, with no legal action taken. It remains unclear whether they have been permitted to continue reporting in Thailand.
Kamphon maintained that the police had followed due legal process during the investigation and urged Thai media outlets to verify information with credible or official sources to prevent the spread of misinformation or the incitement of online controversy.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
