Doctor review site in Thailand

[lyseoy]

Does this exist? Would be great if it was possible to see other patients' experiences before choosing the doctor.

[Oxx]

Simply not possible given Thailand's ridiculous libel law.  Writing the factual truth is simply no defence.

[lyseoy]

Thanks Oxx, you taught me something new today. Just read up on it. We're talking about defamation here, right? I found this on siam-legal:

 

There are two types of defamation in Thailand. Under Section 423 of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, defamation is defined as a person who makes false statements and circulates it as fact. The false statements must injure the reputation, credit, earnings, or prosperity of another person. If the defamer is found liable, the defamer shall compensate the defamed for any damages arising from the false statements. Even if the defamer does not know that his statements are false, as long as he knows that it should be false, the defamer is liable for defamation. The court is not bound by the criminal code’s limits on punishment in a civil case.

Under Section 326 of the Thai Criminal Code, defamation is defined as whoever imputes anything about another person to a third person in a manner likely to impair the person’s reputation or place the person in contempt or hatred by others. When defamation is committed by publication or other media made visible by any means, the offender is liable for imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht. If the person who is accused of defamation is able to prove that the statement is true, the person shall not be punished. But the truth is not a defense for private matters that is not a benefit to the public (Section 330).

 

So it seems in both cases that as long as the the statements made are truthful, they are not illegal.

 

Why do you say "Writing the factual truth is simply no defence."? Are they practicing this law different from the writing of the law?

[lopburi3]

59 minutes ago, lyseoy said:

But the truth is not a defense for private matters that is not a benefit to the public (Section 330).