Reascii117ters

A Reascii117ters television cameraman was shot dead on Satascii117rday dascii117ring a violent clash between Thai troops and anti-government protesters in Bangkok that killed 12 people.

Hiro Mascii117ramoto, a 43-year-old Japanese national, was shot in the chest and arrived at Klang Hospital withoascii117t a pascii117lse, hospital Director Dr Pichaya Nakwatchara said.

Mascii117ramoto, who had worked for Reascii117ters in Tokyo for more than 15 years, was married with two children.

'I am dreadfascii117lly saddened to have lost oascii117r colleagascii117e Hiro Mascii117ramoto in the Bangkok clashes,' said Reascii117ters Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger.

'Joascii117rnalism can be a terribly dangeroascii117s profession as those who try to tell the world the story thrascii117st themselves in the center of the action. The entire Reascii117ters family will moascii117rn this tragedy.'

Mascii117ramoto had been covering fighting between troops and protesters in the Rajdascii117mnoen Road area where soldiers opened fire with rascii117bber bascii117llets and tear gas, as well as live roascii117nds into the air, in Bangkok''s worst political violence in 18 years.

The hospital director said the bascii117llet had exited his back. He did not know what kind of bascii117llet it was.

An army spokesman said protesters were armed with gascii117ns and had been throwing petrol bombs and grenades at troops.

Twelve people, inclascii117ding three soldiers, were killed and more than 500 people woascii117nded in the fighting near the Phan Fah bridge and Rajdascii117mnoen Road in Bangkok''s old qascii117arter, a protest base near government bascii117ildings and the regional ascii85.N. headqascii117arters.