Elon Musk 'to be sued in Thailand, London and US’ by cave diver he called 'paedo' in baseless remark

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Elon Musk could have replied in many way to that. Ignore it, reply with something similar, or bring it up to a total new level. Accusing someone to be a pedo is probably one of the worst levels possible. That was totally unnecessary and a smart guy like Elon should know that.

My point is Unsworth started it, no way am i defending Musk, he made a stupid vile comment about Unsworth.

[4MyEgo]

17 hours ago, colinneil said:

Vern Unsworth started this nonsense, now he is going overboard suing Musk in 3 countries.

You need to be very careful maybe it will come back and bite you in the backside.

They were both wrong, both made stupid remarks, and why is Vern buggering up his life with this nonsense, live and let live, move on enjoy whats left of your life.

You hit the nail on the head, he is going up against a billionaire who probably has nothing in his name, his lawyers will delay court proceedings for years and by the time Vern Unsworth gets a payout, it will be zero because Musk probably owns nothing in his name.

 

Vern Unsworth should accept the fact that no one likes this Musk bloke who is probably a spoilt child who is getting off on annoying a real hero, that he will never be, all he can think of is making toy submarines that are not suitable for their purpose and wanting some of the limelight when other didn't, oi ! 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, transam said:

once again hacking into email or computer would take less than 5 mins for someone like Musk?

If the hacker is in front of the computer then that might be possible. From the internet it is not likely that easy. Possible, but not within a few minutes or even hours (if the computer was not already unprotected).

[side]

12 minutes ago, colinneil said:

You are wrong Unsworth did start the nonsense, did he not say ... Stick your sub where the sun dont shine?

In my eyes that is what started it.

"stick your sub where the sun don't shine" is not defamation. It's a rude way of saying "go away, your invention will not work". You won't get hauled into court for telling someone to "feq off".

 

"paedo guy" on twitter IS defamation, IF it's not a factual statement, if it was widely dispersed, if the victim was identifiable and if the statement cause damage to reputation.

 

Just being the party that "started it" is not a legal issue.

Edited September 7, 2018 by side

[transam]

What some of you seem to have missed is that Musk carried his accusations on, Vern was very quiet after the first slur, when the extra slurs came alone he listened to lawyers...I would do the same if I was totally innocent..

[BestB]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

"Rascals don't make billions", well I can think of one...

I doubt he would risk hacking and the possible ramifications, even a rich school boy like him..

Haha, what ramifications? You doubt he would risk hacking but would risk making and repeating slurs????

[transam]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If the hacker is in front of the computer then that might be possible. From the internet it is not likely that easy. Possible, but not within a few minutes or even hours (if the computer was not already unprotected).

I didn't write that quote...?

[lazeeboy]

His lawyers will be rubbing there hands together .they will work on a win we get paid a % ,plus all the publicity this will draw will do what ok Simpson did for the Kardashians win win for the lawyer.

[NextStationBangkok]

Once you have billions, this kind of hallucinations can come from frustration.

 

So Elon, you came to the cave for the same reason ?

[transam]

1 minute ago, BestB said:

Haha, what ramifications? You doubt he would risk hacking but would risk making and repeating slurs????

I said 'doubt", but who knows, depends if he has another schoolboy moment eh..?

[OneMoreFarang]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If the hacker is in front of the computer then that might be possible. From the internet it is not likely that easy. Possible, but not within a few minutes or even hours (if the computer was not already unprotected).

I didn't write that quote...?

Sorry for that. I clicked on the quote button and the TV software decided you quoted it.

It happened to me here before that someone quoted me but I never wrote it. Now I understand how that happened.

[lensta]

17 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

Suing him in one country OK, if he sues him in 3 countries, that seems just as stupidity! Because if it is possible to get 3x the money/convictions then we can all start suing people for defamation in all 195 countries as long as what was said was posted on internet!!!

I think that he is suing him in those 3 countries because he is from the UK, lives in Thailand and Musk is from the US.

[transam]

5 minutes ago, lensta said:

I think that he is suing him in those 3 countries because he is from the UK, lives in Thailand and Musk is from the US.

Plus lawyers from all three countries obviously know Vern has a case..

 

If no win no fee it would be well worth looking into..

[BestB]

Just now, transam said:

Plus lawyers from all three countries obviously know Vern has a case..

 

If no win no fee it would be well worth looking into..

Not Thai lawyers and should he be proven guilty lawyers do not go to jail or get served for millions in legal fees. Lawyers do get on the front pages though and make a name ?

[joecoolfrog]

18 hours ago, racket said:

Is Vern going to court just to prove he's not a pedo? It's not illegal to call somebody a pedo, but since there's a dispute he needs to prove he isn't. Elon could easily just funnel some cash to his thai girlfriend and endup turning against him. He could also slide off future investments in thailand, and will thai authorities be happy with that? Could Vern perhaps risk being blacklisted? 

 

I'm getting sick of this Vern guy who's nothing more but a looser hiding in Chiang Rai thinking he was the only hero in the cave rescue operation. I first thought he was reasonable and did a great job, but I'm done supporting the guy. Now we all understand he's doing everything he can to squeeze some cash out of Musk. 

Defamation is illegal ! In fact in Thailand even if the statement made is untrue , Musk would still be found guilty .

Edited September 7, 2018 by joecoolfrog

[PerkinsCuthbert]

18 hours ago, racket said:

Is Vern going to court just to prove he's not a pedo? It's not illegal to call somebody a pedo, but since there's a dispute he needs to prove he isn't. Elon could easily just funnel some cash to his thai girlfriend and endup turning against him. He could also slide off future investments in thailand, and will thai authorities be happy with that? Could Vern perhaps risk being blacklisted? 

 

I'm getting sick of this Vern guy who's nothing more but a looser hiding in Chiang Rai thinking he was the only hero in the cave rescue operation. I first thought he was reasonable and did a great job, but I'm done supporting the guy. Now we all understand he's doing everything he can to squeeze some cash out of Musk. 

I love it when losers call other people "loosers".

[kcpattaya]

I thought Thais were GREEDY...

[sanemax]

57 minutes ago, MrMo said:

Mr Unsworth should consider 'crowd funding' his legal battles with Elon Musk.   I'm sure he would get an enormous response from around the world as well as from all of us expats living in Thailand who have also been defamed by Mr Musk's comments.

 

Maybe Vern could sell shares or something .

All the contributors to his *Sue Musk fund* receive a percentage of the payout 

[Time Traveller]

18 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

Well he was here 3 months ago, and maybe one day he will return, or be on a flight that makes a stopover in Thailand.

hahahahah....I think you win for the funniest post on the forum for today.

Mr Musk is a billionaire. He doesn't travel on flights that make stopovers. He has his own private jet. Well actually several jets. And rockets as well.

[joecoolfrog]

15 hours ago, racket said:

 

Vern said Musk could stick his metal tube in his ass. Judging from his statement, one would wonder if he could be a pedo after all.

Why would one ?

[sanemax]

15 hours ago, racket said:

 

Vern said Musk could stick his metal tube in his ass. Judging from his statement, one would wonder if he could be a pedo after all.

LOL , Its sometimes difficult to know when some posts are serious or not .

Put a smiley , next time you do a humorous post

[snowgard]

16 hours ago, JLCrab said:

In the USA, based upon a judge's procedural rulings, it might be Unsworth who has to prove that he is not a pedo.

I not think so. Him is not a public person. The cave story is a one time story. The law for private persons is easier:

Specifically, public figures and plaintiffs are not only required to prove that the allegedly defamatory statements in question are false and harmful, but that the party who made or published them acted with “actual malice” or “reckless disregard for the truth.” Private persons and plaintiffs have a much less strict standard they need to prove, and are only required to prove the party or organization in question published the statement(s) with ordinary negligence.

Source: https://www.minclaw.com/defamation-of-character-what-is-online-defamation/

[janclaes47]

5 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

hahahahah....I think you win for the funniest post on the forum for today.

Mr Musk is a billionaire. He doesn't travel on flights that make stopovers. He has his own private jet. Well actually several jets. And rockets as well.

You are even funnier, thinking that private jet can fly unlimited distances without refuelling.

 

 

[Tony Hanscomb]

At least Mr em can get his daily fix in the Thai monkey house.

[Derek B]

18 hours ago, keith101 said:

And why would Musk even come to Thailand .

He did say it was a beautiful country I recall.

 

[sanemax]

16 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Maybe it was my upbringing, but I thought he spoke with neither grace nor class. IMO he was unnecessarily dismissive and snide.

Musk was approached to help; granted, his design seems to have been wide of the mark in terms of practicality, but it is not as if he was desperate for the publicity prior to this. 

I had never heard of Elon Musk before this happened .

Now, I know all about him, his cars and his space exploration companies and I also know about his drilling companies , whilst the rescuers were in the cave , he was on television, telling the world about his companies ability to drill holes

[Winky Wilson]

Why is the American mentality that all Westerners in Thailand are pedofiles? Most Americans know nothing about Thailand in my experiemce, they speculate alot which is quite slanderous. I can imagine how insulting this is when your children, family, and friends are  respectable Thai people.

 

[stephenterry]

Much better solution is to dispense with the fat-cat lawyers and let them sort out their differences in a UFC ring with the ticket proceeds going to charity. I'm sure by the end they will have respect for each other, and the world can move on.

 

 

[Parsve]

17 hours ago, colinneil said:

Nonsense, my own daughter called me that when i told her i was marrying a lady 20 years younger than me.

Did i care, no i didnt it is just words, words cannot hurt you unless you are a 21st century snowflake who gets offended just by a few words.

I guess that you are not very well known I rather not believe that not believe that she did it worldwide. As you say words are words, but what you do not get is that they matter, they could destroy the rest of your life.

[Horace]

 

Musk is baiting Vernon.  He's quoted as saying that because he hasn't been sued, his original claim must be right.  Musk is even attacking the press because it has not investigated his claims.  From the Guardian:

 

Musk’s email to BuzzFeed, which was a response to Unsworth’s latest legal threats, said: “I suggest that you call people you know in Thailand, find out what’s actually going on and stop defending child rapists, you <deleted> <deleted> … As for this alleged threat of a lawsuit, which magically appeared when I raised the issue (nothing was sent or raised beforehand), I <deleted> hope he sues me.”

 

Musk sounds unhinged.  He's offered no proof to back up his claims.  Instead, he wants the press to "call people you know in Thailand".  What does is that supposed to mean?  Randomly start calling up people in Thailand?  Invest time and resources to investigate a claim Musk made simply because Musk is an "important person" and the press should follow-up on everything he claims, even though he doesn't provide a scintilla of evidence to back up his claims?

 

Musk is a billionaire, and could easily hire an investigator to find support for his claims if there was some.  But he hasn't done that.  Why?  The burden should be on Musk to provide evidence for such an outrageous claim.  Not the other way around.

 

But Musk is trying to make it work the other way around by putting the burden on Vernon (to, if the claims are false, disprove a negative), and, to some extent, he might succeed given the nature of the serious claims he is making.  Its a nasty and unfair ploy.  He's trying to set the rules of this dispute by claiming that if Vernon cannot prove he is not a sexual predator, he must be a sexual predator.  And if the press cannot find evidence that Vernon is a sexual predator, the press is not calling the right people to do their job. 

 

Sounds like Trump.

 

Musk has set this up where Vernon has little choice but to sue an unscrupulous and unstable billionaire.  Yes, he will be represented on a contingency fee basis.  But we have no reason at all to believe Musk's claims are true, and if Vernon was hoping to live a quiet life in northern Thailand, he's lost that now.