BANGKOK — The Embassy of Japan in Thailand is still seeking answers from Thai authorities over the killing of a Japanese reporter during the 2010 political unrest in Bangkok.
Hiroyuki Muramoto, a camera who was working for Reuters, was shot dead while he was filming the clashes between Redshirt demonstrators and soldiers near Democracy Monument on the night of 10 April 2010.
Taishi Akimoto, first secretary of the Japanese embassy in Bangkok, met with Thai police yesterday and discussed the development of the inquiry into the reporter's death. The discussion took place at Crime Suppression Division HQ and lasted about 30 minutes.
According to Pol.Col. Prasopchoke Prommool, deputy commander of CSD, the Japanese diplomat wanted to know whether the recent arrest of five suspected “Blackshirt” militants has yielded any helpful information about Muramoto's death. The so-called “Blackshirts” are a group of gunmen allied to the Redshirt movement who were seen exchanging gunfire with security forces during the 2010 unrest.
"I have told the First Secretary that based on the investigation into the Blackshirt suspects, there is no evidence that they are involved in Muramoto's death," Pol.Col. Prasopchoke said.
The police officer also informed Akimoto that the CSD is only responsible for the criminal investigation into the alleged possession of military-grade weapons by the arrested Blackshirt suspects, while the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) is launching a separate inquiry into the death of the Japanese reporter and other casualties during the crackdown.
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