Thai reporter sentenced to jail for libelling chicken farm

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai television journalist was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday on charges of libelling a chicken farm on Twitter, her lawyer said.

 

Suchanee Cloitre, who was working for Voice TV at the time, was convicted for a post she made about a legal dispute over working conditions at the Thammakaset farm, lawyer Woraporn Uthairangsee said.

 

"I'm shocked and did not think the sentence would be so harsh," Suchanee told Reuters after the sentencing. She said she was worried about what would happen to her 8-month-old son.

 

Her Twitter post centred on complaint that a group of migrant workers from Myanmar made to Thailand's National Human Rights Commission about conditions at Thammakaset in 2016.

 

Thai courts https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-myanmar-workers/thai-top-court-orders-compensation-for-myanmar-workers-in-landmark-case-idUSKCN1P9114 this year ordered that the workers should get compensation after earlier dismissing a defamation lawsuit that the farm had launched against the workers.

 

Thammakaset, which denied the accusations from the outset, has also filed lawsuits against 20 journalists and activists over the case.

 

Representatives of Thammakaset could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.

 

Suchanee, 30, said she would appeal and is currently out on bail.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-25

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This is how they keep them in line.  Dare to speak the -censored-, two years in the clink.

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 20196 yr by LomSak27

The courts found in favour of the workers and ordered compensation.

How could the journalist be guilty of libel, does not make sense to this mind here

10 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

The courts found in favour of the workers and ordered compensation.

How could the journalist be guilty of libel, does not make sense to this mind here

It makes perfect Thai sense.

Just now, bluesofa said:

It makes perfect Thai sense.

Yup...

freedom of..................... nothing really

Guilty of being on the wrong side, it happens in politics here too.

Law is for the unconnected and out of favor.

 

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

How could the journalist be guilty of libel, does not make sense to this mind here

As I understood it from a previous case, it wasn't whether what you said was true or not, it was whether your comment caused loss of business or personal status. Just a step below Lese Majeste, the truth doesn't come into it. 

13 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

As I understood it from a previous case, it wasn't whether what you said was true or not, it was whether your comment caused loss of business or personal status. Just a step below Lese Majeste, the truth doesn't come into it. 

So true. This is how the law covers loss of face.

Such a pathetic little -- in every sense of the word -- people, so afraid of the truth that they criminalize it. ????

No one can say a word against powerful people in Thailand.

And you still want to argue that Thailand is a civilized society?

2 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

The courts found in favour of the workers and ordered compensation.

How could the journalist be guilty of libel,

The reporter told the truth but the truth is the 1st casualty in a war between the haves and the have-nots.

Just live the way posters here to on about avoiding PC in their home countries.

There is no real reason to have news in Thailand. The reporters are scared to discuss pros, cons, other points of view, morals or anything as it can result in such a case. This is one main reaosn Thais are so backwards with thinking. They never get to see a better point of veiw. Its sad and i hope someone hits up this judge with a lawsuit for human rights abuses but it will never happen.

2 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

people, so afraid of the truth that they criminalize it. ????

They're not interested in the truth... welcome to Thailand.

Shut your mouth and only say Kha or Khrup when spoken to or you will be smashed. Such a deplorable system. . 

59 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

There is no real reason to have news in Thailand. The reporters are scared to discuss pros, cons, other points of view, morals or anything as it can result in such a case. This is one main reaosn Thais are so backwards with thinking. They never get to see a better point of veiw. Its sad and i hope someone hits up this judge with a lawsuit for human rights abuses but it will never happen.

sanctions are really the only thing that can help here, sanction from the US and EU.

thailand, when telling the truth gets you in jail and the criminals get left alone

My still-programmed-Western-brain readily connects to only one word to describe this court case outcome. Incomprehensible !!!

 Backward

I am curious why the Thai media does not employ staff as “researchers” and publish controversial articles under foreign nominees or nom de plumes to avoid this liability?

53 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

I am curious why the Thai media does not employ staff as “researchers” and publish controversial articles under foreign nominees or nom de plumes to avoid this liability?

For the same reasons they do everything else wrong. 

58 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

I am curious why the Thai media does not employ staff as “researchers” and publish controversial articles under foreign nominees or nom de plumes to avoid this liability?

Bloody good idea. It would keep the rats off their backs.

It's a disgrace that defamation is a criminal offence resulting in imprisonment. 

Simple - do not buy chickens from the Thammakaset farm.

To be a serious journalist in Thailand is a dangerous job. So sad. 

Anything but the truth will do. Money talks in Thailand.

53 minutes ago, cheshiremusicman said:

Bloody good idea. It would keep the rats off their backs.

If they did that, the editors and management would be charged. There is no way to escape defamation laws except to repeal them.

I've read on TVF so many people bemoaning fluffy news articles.

 

But what Thai in their corn fed mind would want to be a real investigative reporter like we have in the west, when you report truth, and somehow that lands you in jail?

 

Amazing Thailand!