BANGKOK - THAI media organisations on Monday condemned growing violence against reporters covering the country's escalating political crisis amid a siege of Bangkok's airports.

The National Press Council of Thailand, Thai Journalists Association and Broadcast Journalists Association issued a joint statement saying it was becoming difficult for the media to work in the field.

The groups cited alleged abuses by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy, which is occupying the airports and by supporters of the government.

'We denounce all types of violence, intimidation against reporters, photographers and other media outlets. It's professionally unacceptable and obstructs public access to information,' the statement said.

'We demand that all of these should stop immediately.' They also called for the media to be neutral.

Incidents cited by the groups included shots being fired at a broadcast van of the TNN news channel at Suvarnabhumi international airport on Sunday and searches of journalists trying to cover the situation at the terminal.

The statement also mentioned a bomb attack against a television station owned by the founder of the PAD last week. -- AFP