The director of an influential Malay community radio station in the restive Deep South has passed away.
At around 3 am on 11 July 2017, Waehama Waekuejik, director of Media Selatan, a local radio channel with a large following among grassroots villagers in the Deep South based in Pattani, passed away.
Waehama had been battling colon cancer for the last three years.
He played an important role in shaping Media Selatan, which is known for reporting on critical issues in the Deep South related to politics and violence in the region since its founding in 2008.
The radio station usually features call-in segments to bring in the voices of local people.
Media Selatan was forced to close down by order of the military government after the 2014 coup d’état. It was reopened last year.
Waehama Waekuejik (file photo)