Paper publishes story Reuters spiked

The story, based on confidential diplomatic cables sent by the US embassy in Bangkok and obtained by the website Wikileaks, is about the royal family of Thailand, where strict lèse majesté laws prohibit any discussion deemed harmful to the monarchy.

Marshall, pictured, a senior editor in Singapore when he resigned three weeks ago, wrote in a sidebar headed “Why I decided to jeopardise my career and publish secrets” that the story is likely to be widely denounced.

“It is a story that has already cost me a job I loved with Reuters, after a 17-year career. Once it is published, I will be unable to return to one of my favourite countries for many years. There is a risk – small, but real – that I will face international legal action. And several people who I consider friends will be dismayed, and probably never talk to me again.”

Marshall said that as he read more than 3,000 US cables on Thailand he realised two things: “They could revolutionise our understanding of Thailand. And there was no way I could write about them as a Reuters journalist.

“Reuters employs more than 1,000 Thai staff. The risks to them were significant. In my 17 years at Reuters I've covered many conflicts; I spent two years as Baghdad bureau chief as Iraq collapsed into civil war. Several friends in the company have been killed. I've always been proud to work for Reuters. When I was told my story could never be published, I understood… With great regret, I resigned from Reuters at the start of June to publish my article for anybody who wants to read it.”

Having published the piece, Marshall said he was now a criminal in Thailand.

A Reuters statement said: “Reuters didn’t publish this story as we didn’t think it worked in the format in which it was delivered. We had questions regarding length, sourcing, objectivity, and legal issues. Also, we were concerned the writer wasn’t participating in the normal editing process that would apply to any story Reuters publishes.” ■