Journalists Killed in 2011 - Motive Confirmed: Phamon Phonphanit

Sue Samut Atyakam
September 24, 2011, in Yala, Thailand

Phamon, 61, a reporter with the Thai-language newspaper Sue Samut Atyakam, died at Yala Central Hospital from severe burns suffered while covering a series of timed bomb attacks in Sungai Khalok town, Narathiwat province, on September 16, according to news reports. At least six people died and more than 100 were injured by three car and motorcycle bomb explosions detonated at 20-minute intervals in a densely populated area of town, news reports said. A fourth bomb was found and defused by authorities, according to the reports.

No group took responsibility for the attack. Police detained two suspects who were allegedly identified by surveillance camera footage of the area where the bombs were detonated. Authorities said they planned to seek arrest warrants for additional suspects believed to be involved in the attacks, according to the reports.

Phamon's death came in the context of a Muslim separatist insurgency that started in January 2004 in Thailand's three southernmost provinces, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala. More than 4,800 people had been killed in violence associated with the insurgency. Chalee Boonsawat, a reporter with Thai Rath, the country's largest Thai-language newspaper, was killed on August 21, 2008, while covering another series of timed explosions in Sungai Kolok.