P.M. BRIEFING : Slur Blocks Wall Street Journal
BANGKOK, Thailand — Police today ordered an indefinite halt to distribution of the Asian Wall Street Journal because it published an article alleged to have insulted the Supreme Patriarch of Thai Buddhism, a senior police officer said today.
“We will begin enforcing the ban on the distribution of the Asian Wall Street Journal Friday,” said Lt. Col. Samphan Sretharphon, a deputy superintendent in the Police Special Branch.
Barry Wain, editor of the regional business newspaper, said in a statement after his arrival in Bangkok, “We are seeking urgent clarification from the Thai authorities.” He plans an immediate appeal of the order.
Samphan said the indefinite ban was imposed at the request of Buddhist clergy upset by a story on disputes within Thai Buddhism in a story by Journal correspondent John Berthelsen that was published Aug. 21.
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