Gunmen kill Thai journalist on tourist island

Gunmen shot dead a Thai journalist, local newspaper owner and political activist Thursday in a targeted attack on the tourist-friendly island of Phuket, police and local media said.

"He was shot four times while driving in his car. Gunmen on a motorcycle cut in front of the vehicle and shot him. He was sent to the hospital and died there," police colonel and district chief Chote Chidchai told AFP by telephone.

"The other passenger was not injured. The gunman specifically killed him only," he said, adding that it was "too soon to say" the motive.

Chote said the man was the owner of a small local newspaper called "Inside Phuket", and he was named by Thai media as 40-year-old Wisut Tangwitthayaporn.

Thai media also said his newspaper had reported about corruption related to the land department in Phuket, and that he was well-known on the island as a member of Thailand's "Red Shirt" political protest movement.