日記者泰國遇難

Recently the Yomiuri News reported the following:

　タイの首都バンコクで１０日夜、タクシン元首相派の反政府勢力「反独裁民主戦線（ＵＤＤ）」と軍との衝突で死亡したロイター通信日本支局の村本博之さんは、衝突の瞬間を取材しようと、双方がにらみ合う最前線に立っていて銃弾に倒れた。
　病院では、同僚らが「取材者まで巻き込むデモは許せない」と泣き叫んだ。 村本さんは、ＵＤＤが拠点とするバンコク西部ファンファ橋に近いコクウオ交差点付近で、軍とＵＤＤの衝突に巻き込まれ、左胸を撃たれた。 軍は、ゴム弾と主張している。撃たれた時はまだ息があったが、救急車で搬送中に出血多量で亡くなった。村本さんは、髪が肩まであり、記者証を所持していた。村本さんが運ばれた病院には、ロイター通信バンコク支局の同僚らが駆けつけ、「なんでこんなことに」「どうしたらいいのか」と途方に暮れていた。 病院１階奥の集中治療室に安置された遺体には、関係者も近づくことが許されず、同僚らは肩を寄せ合って涙を流した。 同僚の女性（２４）は「今は何も言えない」と震えていた。 一緒に取材していた日本人フリージャーナリストは、撃たれる直前の村本さんと現場で会い、デモ隊と治安部隊の衝突について情報交換をした。村本さんは「このような現場に行かないと記者はだめだね。一段落したら飯でも食おう」と話していたという。

In Thailand capital Bangkok on the night of the tenth Hiroyuki Muramoto of Reuter Japanese branch died while covering the moment of collision between the army and the rebel force "The anti-despotism and democratic front (UDD)" of the former Prime Minister Thaksin faction, he was hit by the bullet and fell when standing in the front of both parties who were at a feud.
In the hospital, colleagues screamed , saying that "Those who covered the demonstration should not be involved". Mr. Muramoto's left chest was shot when he covered the collision of UDD with the army in the vicinity of the [kokuuo] intersection near the Bangkok west fan fa bridge where UDD had made it a base. The army insisted that it was rubber-coated metal bullet. When shot he was still breathing, he died due to a large amount of hemorrhage while being transported in the ambulance. Mr. Muramoto was carrying journalist proof to the shoulder and the hair. Colleagues of the Reuter Bangkok branch rushed to the hospital where Mr. Muramoto was admitted, and were at a loss , saying that "Why these kind of things " and "Is it good if it did not?". Parties concerned were not permitted to go near the remains that was kept in the intensive care unit on the first floor deep inside the hospital, and colleagues drew each other's shoulder and were thrown into tears. A female colleague (24) trembled and said that "Now I was unable to say anything". A Japanese free-lance journalist who had been together covering the event met Mr. Muramoto at that spot immediately before he was being shot, and exchanged information on the collision between the security force and demonstrators. It was said that Mr. Muramoto had said｢A journalist is useless if he does not come to a site like this. I will eat rice when the first stage is over ｣.

It is a sad news to hear. My respect goes to all the Japanese journalists who are so brave in covering the events in Bangkok.