by Mette Larsen

 

Thailand’s Supreme Court has cleared Andy Hall, Finnwatch human rights researcher of all charges, bringing an end to a years-long lawsuit against him, media YLE reports.

 

Andrew Jonathan Hall or just Andy Hall is a migrant worker and labor rights activist and researcher, formerly based in South East Asia. In early 2013 he was sued by Natural Fruit Company following the publication of the Finnish civil organization Finnwatch’s report “Cheap Has a High Price”.

 

Natural Fruit supplied in 2012 pineapple juice raw materials to Finnish retail chains and the report from 2013 revealed serious human rights violations at the company’s plant in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://scandasia.com/thai-court-clear-finnwatch-human-rights-researcher-of-all-charges/

 

-- © Copyright ScandAsia 2021-05-13

 

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It only took the Thai legal system 8 years to do the right thing. 

7 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

It only took the Thai legal system 8 years to do the right thing. 

A  record  compared to the road  building fiasco  case then, was it 20  years , so  far, and how's  the gold  mining case  going?

I  wonder has this  actually  done  anything for migrant workers  rights  in Thailand?

If you mess with Chinese Thai businesses, be prepared to pay. 

 

1 hour ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I  wonder has this  actually  done  anything for migrant workers  rights  in Thailand?

They have no rights in the eyes of those that use their labour and a government that facilitates it.

why not throw human rights group a bone, since he done a runner anyways

1 hour ago, MasterBaker said:

why not throw human rights group a bone, since he done a runner anyways

I would have done a runner too, been locked up in a Thai

prison, when you did nothing wrong,only trying to help

workers that were been abused.

regards worgeordie

3 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I  wonder has this  actually  done  anything for migrant workers  rights  in Thailand?

None.

In my opinion, it is the Thai defamation laws which should be under the microscope. That telling the truth about a matter can see you imprisoned is just ludicrous.

4 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I  wonder has this  actually  done  anything for migrant workers  rights  in Thailand?

Yes, you're right. Better to do nothing at all, sweep it under the carpet and just hope that it magically fixes itself, correct? That's the true path of righteousness.

42 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

That telling the truth about a matter can see you imprisoned is just ludicrous.

 

You have to prove it is true and not simply an opinion.

41 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

In my opinion, it is the Thai defamation laws which should be under the microscope. That telling the truth about a matter can see you imprisoned is just ludicrous.

Agreed and similar view to that espoused by a Finnwatch director in the linked article - 

Quote

“Thailand should ensure that its legislation is amended so that similar harassment through the courts is no longer possible,” Sonja Finér added.

Unfortunately I do not see it happening any time soon.......????

45 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

You have to prove it is true and not simply an opinion.

I think you need to read deeper into the subject of Thai Defamation Laws. Even proving something is true will not keep you from being sued for defamation.

5 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

why not throw human rights group a bone, since he done a runner anyways

Can’t say I would have blamed him. Doing the right thing can be seriously harmful your health. 
 

However in this case he left after the Supreme Court had dismissed the criminal charges against him. 
 

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/criminal-civil-cases-against-andy-hall

He still faced the danger that the harassment would continue and left to avoid this. 

Edited May 13, 20215 yr by Bluespunk
Clarification

He is a hero and the world should be banning this product until the wrongs are right through human rights watch.

2 hours ago, JCauto said:

Yes, you're right. Better to do nothing at all, sweep it under the carpet and just hope that it magically fixes itself, correct? That's the true path of righteousness.

Wow some people surely  get in a  big  huff don't  they. I am ASKING if there  has been any changes.

7 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

A  record  compared to the road  building fiasco  case then, was it 20  years , so  far, and how's  the gold  mining case  going?

....and Hopewell ?

Truth can be a terrible thing. Especially when you are a very guilty party, with alot to hide, and are on the receiving end of "truth". Hide behind cowardly defamation laws all you want. We know who you are, and what you do. 

26 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Wow some people surely  get in a  big  huff don't  they. I am ASKING if there  has been any changes.

Oh, sorry, looked to me like a snarky comment. 

No, there have not been any changes. Check back again in 25 years, likely to be the same.

41 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

He is a hero and the world should be banning this product until the wrongs are right through human rights watch.

All of us living in Thailand benefit everyday from the Thai migrant labour laws.

 

The houses we live in, the food we eat, the transport, the transport we use, the malls we shop in etc.

 

Calls to ban these products will just end up costing the workers their jobs that are not available in their own third world countries. 

 

It won't affect the very rich owners lifestyles one bit.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Neeranam said:

If you mess with Chinese Thai businesses, be prepared to pay. 

 

Ummm, look up who the owners actually are. More than just Chinese Thai business owners. 

Good for Andy and his legal team. Great bunch of people. Now Andy should still be cautious if he comes back as nothing like hot heads scorned.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Supreme Court has cleared Andy Hall, Finnwatch human rights researcher of all charges

 How about clearing two Burmese lads on death row of all charges????

8 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I  wonder has this  actually  done  anything for migrant workers  rights  in Thailand?

Yes, it's highlighted the issue abroad, the required first step.

How else are you going to go about it as an outsider?

2 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 How about clearing two Burmese lads on death row of all charges????

Same legal team as Andy, and personally speaking if they could not get the kids off then no one can. They were railroaded. Travesty of justice at best. Would love to know who was pulling the strings as in how high up for face.

1 hour ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Wow some people surely  get in a  big  huff don't  they. I am ASKING if there  has been any changes.

You obviously have internet. Feel free to research.

 

You're pretending to ask a reasonable question when you're really undermining the work of those who wish to change things for the better long term. Move right along then, nothing for you to see here.

 

You're "we've all profited from the Thai labour laws..." comment tries to make everyone complicit when in fact expats have zero say in this matter.

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

He still faced the danger that the harassment would continue and left to avoid this. 

Anyone that tries to expose anything unsavoury here that affects the ruling classes and corrupt officialdom will have to do a runner sooner or later. Journalists, human rights activists, etc. They will either kill you or lock you up. They don't like locals or foreigners airing their dirty laundry in public. 

Reduce profits by paying a living wage, provide adequate housing, pay cost of quarantine and then more Thais would get jobs, infection rates would reduce and the consumer would pay the correct price for the product be it pineapples or fish. Whilst your about it reduce the prison population density by building more prisons and reducing the profit from enormously overcrowded prisons. IE make the top 1pc of Thai Society meet the true cost of their greed.

37 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Anyone that tries to expose anything unsavoury here that affects the ruling classes and corrupt officialdom will have to do a runner sooner or later. Journalists, human rights activists, etc. They will either kill you or lock you up. They don't like locals or foreigners airing their dirty laundry in public. 

Yep. Easy to disappear or be hurt or killed, and the funny thing would be there would be no CC tv working anywhere and so they could not find the perpetrators. Anyway, Andy fled for his safety as fast as he could and it was all under secret hush hush to airport and out. I do know a little bit about this and his defending team..