In May 2022, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a Thai activist and founder of Sam Yan Press, received an email from a private investigator in Bangkok seeking to arrange a meeting between the publishing house and a Chinese businessman.
Later, in July, the detective reached out to another member of the executive team, informing them that the Chinese businessman was prepared to offer 4 million baht to shut down the publishing operations.
After consulting with a lawyer, the Sam Yan Press team decided to meet with the investigator in an attempt to learn the identity of the Chinese businessman and the reasons behind his actions.
As activists and student leaders, the publishing house firmly rejected all offers, stating that accepting such a proposal would be a betrayal of their principles and the values they stand for.
On October 2, the executive team of Sam Yan Press received a follow-up email from the investigation company, clarifying that the businessman in question was not a member of the Chinese government.