British rights activist Andy Hall ordered to pay Bt10m in libel suit

[webfact]

Rights activist Hall ordered to pay Bt10m in libel suit

By The Nation

 

A file photo shows British rights activist Andy Hall after his sentencing hearing at the Bangkok South Criminal Court in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 20, 2016// EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

The Phra Khanong Court yesterday ordered human-rights activist Andy Hall to pay a Bt10-million compensation to a pineapple firm over his comment on its labour practices.

 

Natural Fruit Co Ltd sued Hall for defamation following an interview he gave to Al-Jazeera English TV channel in Myanmar in April 2013.

 

The court also ordered Hall to pay a sum of Bt10,000 for the plaintiff’s lawyer and court fees, and interest at 7.5 per cent per annum from the date of the filing of this case until the amount is fully paid.

 

Hall, who is overseas at the moment, said he would appeal against the ruling.

 

“I did not expect this verdict and am very disappointed by it,” he said.

 

He was worried that the verdict would be a major setback for the rights of human rights defenders, migrant workers, labour/migration activists and researchers everywhere, and more importantly casts a dark shadow over recent positive progress the Thai government and Thai industry has made to improve migrant worker conditions.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341833

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-27

[ratcatcher]

If I was Mr Andy Hall, and was outside the country, I might be inclined to tell the Bangkok South Criminal  Court and Natural Fruit Co to shove their pineapples where the sun don't shine.  Another giant step backwards in this case..

BTW, is there anything other than "natural fruit" ? 

[idman]

If he pays even one measly Satang he is out of his mind.  He is speaking the truth and that has caused a huge loss of face for this Thai Company and they are and have been going after him with all their power.  Sod these Ejits, they got caught they don't deserve any compensation for their crimes.  But as we all know TIT, if you are a Farang and upset the applecart it is you who is going to be made to pay.  

[simple1]

Andy Hall deserves deep respect - a brave man

[z42]

An utterly immoral ruling. Good on Andy for getting away while he could. 

They won't get a penny out of him and their company name is tarred so I doubt Andy will worry an iota.

 

[JOC]

It is expensive to annoy the rich and powerful in Thailand.....

Being farang doesn't make it any cheaper....

[YetAnother]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Phra Khanong Court yesterday ordered human-rights activist Andy Hall to pay a Bt10-million compensation to a pineapple firm over his comment on its labour practices.

he is telling the Truth !!!! Sue Him !!!!!

[ratcatcher]

10 minutes ago, idman said:

If he pays even one measly Satang he is out of his mind.  He is speaking the truth and that has caused a huge loss of face for this Thai Company and they are and have been going after him with all their power.  Sod these Ejits, they got caught they don't deserve any compensation for their crimes.  But as we all know TIT, if you are a Farang and upset the applecart it is you who is going to be made to pay.  

"upset the applecart"                   pineapple cart     

[JOC]

Telling the truth: 10 million baht in compensation

Lying about your assets: Gives you the right to make 5  daily statements on behalf of the "government"...

Indeed a very strange country.....

[PatOngo]

11 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

shove their pineapples where the sun don't shine.

Rough end first!

[MrJohnson]

Libel laws are the Thai Coward's Castle. There is no such thing as free speech in Thailand.The use of libel laws to silence dissent of any kind, political, social or industrial is on the rise. Sad day.

[darksidedog]

Utterly disgraceful verdict, which will do nothing positive whatsoever for Thailand's reputation. The Government is shown to be totally hypocritical. It says it stands up for migrant workers with one breath and then allows this totally opposite stupidity with the next. One can only hope the Court of Appeal shows a little more sound judgment. Not that I expect Mr. Hall to pay any of this ludicrous fine anyway.

[evadgib]

Since when has this court had jurisdiction outside the Kingdom?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's a reason he's out of the country now. Basically, the campaign of criminal and civil litigation waged against him in recent years by corporate interests and their minions in the police and prosecutor's office made it impossible for him to safely stay here.

 

Basically, their campaign resulted in him self-deporting. So presumably they're happy about that. I don't think it's so much about the money in their case. Rather, it's about trying to silence their critic and the one who keeps sticking them them in the eye with the bad truths that they don't want aired in public.

 

[nikmar]

BTW, is there anything other than "natural fruit" ? 

 

 

Depends on what steroids theyre pumped up with.

[AGareth2]

Probably know he won't come back

court decision for internal consumption

[Kieran00001]

30 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

If I was Mr Andy Hall, and was outside the country, I might be inclined to tell the Bangkok South Criminal  Court and Natural Fruit Co to shove their pineapples where the sun don't shine.  Another giant step backwards in this case..

BTW, is there anything other than "natural fruit" ? 

 

Of course there is fruit that isn't natural, plastic fruit.

[petermik]

"Thainess" at its best......

[kannot]

27 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Rough end first!

sideways  on with the  head  still  attached

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He was worried that the verdict would be a major setback for the rights of human rights defenders, migrant workers, labour/migration activists and researchers everywhere

That was certainly the court’s intention. 

[4MyEgo]

Now all the Thai and other workers doing their thing for the big pineapple company can be told, you see, the court has ruled that he was wrong and defamed us, now go back about your work and accept the measly wages and conditions we pay you while we reap the rewards so we can pay the judges and others higher up the chain. 

 

Kop Koon Krup

[midas]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

If I was Mr Andy Hall, and was outside the country, I might be inclined to tell the Bangkok South Criminal  Court and Natural Fruit Co to shove their pineapples where the sun don't shine.  Another giant step backwards in this case..

BTW, is there anything other than "natural fruit" ? 

I wonder if Jonathan Head and/or the BBC dare to cover this story for the benefit of their international audience? I hope so

[JLCrab]

The big legal problem for Mr. Hall -- given how the Thai laws are currently written -- is that relying on anonymous sources doesn't get you very far in Court.

 

"By their very nature human rights, and in this case labour rights reports, rely on anonymous testimony. Vulnerable people usually don't want to risk their already fragile lives and livelihoods."

 

"So in court Andy Hall was repeatedly asked to prove his allegations of low wages, and dire conditions against the pineapple processing giant. Despite bringing his research notes, photos and several witnesses to court it wasn't enough." (SEP 2016)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37415590

[simple1]

49 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

That was certainly the court’s intention. 

Yep...

 

But it was the prospect of further criminal charges over another group of workers he is supporting that persuaded Mr Hall that he should leave Thailand and not return.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37896421

[Lupatria]

I wonder if the judge made a final statement like:

"and this should be a warning to all with intention to tell the truth under Thai style democracy!"

[chrisinth]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

There's a reason he's out of the country now. Basically, the campaign of criminal and civil litigation waged against him in recent years by corporate interests and their minions in the police and prosecutor's office made it impossible for him to safely stay here.

 

Basically, their campaign resulted in him self-deporting. So presumably they're happy about that. I don't think it's so much about the money in their case. Rather, it's about trying to silence their critic and the one who keeps sticking them them in the eye with the bad truths that they don't want aired in public.

 

Being outside the country removes the restrictions on what he can say, I hope he does this and starts naming names outside the fruit company as well.

 

Turn the tables on them. Unfortunately, it won't help for any further visa applications or extensions.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

Being outside the country removes the restrictions on what he can say, I hope he does this and starts naming names outside the fruit company as well.

 

Turn the tables on them. Unfortunately, it won't help for any further visa applications or extensions.

 

It also means he's now unable to physically do any on-site work in the country or have in-person contact with people here. That's a pretty limiting situation, if you're trying to track what's going on somewhere.

 

BTW, I'm not aware - amid all the continuing legal attacks -- whether he's still trying to do any oversight regarding things going on here. Or, when he physically departed, was that the end of his work here.

 

 

[Jeremy50]

He's overseas, he doesn't have to pay squat. What's more, he can publish as many 'defamatory' articles about Thai corruption as he wants. Happy holidays.

[fxe1200]

And not a single perpetrator of the proven human right abuses at National Fruit has been convicted by today. There is no need to bash the Thai justice system. It works perfectly on its reputation day by day.

[mark01]

Let's hope he continues to fight and report from a safe distance.

And let's hope others follow his brave lead.