UK journo faces Thai jail for bid to take protective gear to Iraq

A BRITISH journalist faces up to five years in a Thai jail after he was arrested for carrying a gas mask and plates for a bullet-proof vest through Bangkok’s main airport on his way to cover fighting in the Iraqi city of Mosul, police said yesterday.

Tony Cheng, who works for Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, was detained at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday night under a law that has been criticised by media groups.

Gas masks and ballistic vests are frequently used by reporters around the world but are classified as war weapons in Thailand and require a licence, something journalists have been unable to obtain.

Violating the 1987 law is punishable by up to five years in jail.

“A British national was arrested and charged with illegal possession of war weapons last night at the airport,” Suvarnabhumi Airport policeman Somchart Maneerat said yesterday.

Cheng, who is married to a Thai national, and German colleague, Florian Witulski, were on their way to report from war-torn Mosul where troops are battling the Islamic State group.

The pair previously reported from Mosul in March.

Witulski was briefly detained alongside Cheng but was later released and has not been charged.

Suvarnabhumi police said Cheng was released yesterday afternoon after his wife paid 100 000 baht (R38 500) bail and he agreed to forfeit his passport. – AFP