Manager Newspaper's Owner Sentenced To Jail On Defamation Suit

[george]

Manager newspaper's owner sentenced to jail on defamation suit

BANGKOK: -- Criminal Court sentenced owner of Manager newspaper, Sondhi Limthongkul, to three years in jail on a libel suit filed by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The newspaper's publisher Khunthong Lorseriwanich was also sentenced to two years in jail and a fine of Bt40,000.

Sondhi was one of anti-Thaksin activists and led many protests against his government before he was topped by the military junta last year.

--The Nation 2007-12-25

[singa-traz]

What a timing ...

[John K]

What a timing ...

You think...? Actually he was getting a bit carried away and some of the things he was saying were about as believable as if coming from Thaksin himself. Very unfortunate.

[yorkman]

What a timing ...

... absolutely perfect

[sriracha john]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Two years starting when?

[Siripon]

I can't think of any cases where people have actually spent time in jail for defamation. Usually the appeal is followed by a suspended sentence, a fine and written apologies to the affected party in the newspapers for several days in a row.

However Sonthi has been involved in so many cases. I thought he was presently ordained somewhere or even abroad, does anyone have some news as to his whereabouts?

[jeffer]

What gift can you get for Xmas for the man who has more money than he knows what to do with (even after freezing a few lazy billion held in Thai banks).

Three years

someone remind me, how many years did that hi-so rich kid get for running over and killing the bmta lady with his Mercedes...

[blaze]

Interesting result, for those who believe that the courts are controlled by the junta, or Democrats or PAD ?

Kinda makes it harder to argue, that Thaksin fled his own court cases, because he wouldn't get a fair trial here.

This verdict should come as no surprise- it was probably no surprise to Sondhi.

In his interview with Shawn Crispin- which is still available by doing a search on this forum- he spoke very critically- in fact totally defamatorily- not of Thaksin- but of some of the very wealthy families close to the military which he claims bankrolled the PAD and in fact, urged him to arrange to have some of the PAD demonstrators shed some serious blood- he even, by refusing to answer when a specific family name was brought up- subtely named one of them. He was also extremely critical of the military.

Even Thaksin never made such damning allegations against the military or the 'old families'.

When asked, "How do you feel in retrospect that your protests were effectively co-opted for the political purposes of the feudal elite?"

He replied: "I'm a threat to them now. They're very scared of me now."

And we know what Thais (not just Thais) do when they are scared- they neutralize the object of their fear.

It's as if he knew this was coming down the pike- and he knew it sure wasn't coming from people sympathetic to Thaksin.

The Generals may well play golf with Thaksin in the future- but Sonthi L? Not a efin chance. His goose was cooked a long time ago.

What looks like some crumbs tossed to the pro Thaksin people- could also be seen as a sacrifice made on behalf of the feudal elites.

[Tony Clifton]

Of everything said and the massive amount of information on the scams exposed by Sonthi L. through broadcasts and VCDs, one must admit he made very few mistakes. If the rest wasn't true about Thaksin and his zombies, he'd be in jail for about a thousand years.

[sriracha john]

The great unknown is specifically what Sondhi said that was deemed defamatory about Thaksin, who it seems must have sued Sondhi about 82 times for defamation.

We do know from Samak's conviction for the same offense what was specifically cited, but in this case of Sondhi, nothing has been clarified.

[PadThaiGuy]

Manchester Football Club - 5 billion thb.

Mandion in England - 600 million thb.

First Class airplane ticket back to Thailand - 150,000 thb.

Seeing that loudmouth Sondhi go to jail - Priceless

[sriracha john]

Sorry to throw a monkey wrench in your MasterCard advertisement, but no one is going to jail.

Just like the future Prime Minister Samak's defamation jail sentence, Sondhi is free on bail.

[hammered]

One day Thailand has to move away from this jailing people for what they say about someone stuff.

Dark ages and all.

Another bottle of wine just started so please ignore me

[jetjock]

One day Thailand has to move away from this jailing people for what they say about someone stuff.

Dark ages and all.

Another bottle of wine just started so please ignore me

Fortunately Sondhi is lucky he is not living in the dark ages of jolly old England where as recently as 1637, an English writer named William Prynn made the unfortunate mistake of writing a book that criticized the queen. Brought before a panel of judges, Prynn was found guilty of libel and ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison. As an added punishment, he had his ears lopped off before he was hauled off to jail.

It's modern day Thailand so I guess Sondhi is lucky to still have his ears !

[farangmal]

One day Thailand has to move away from this jailing people for what they say about someone stuff.

Dark ages and all.

Another bottle of wine just started so please ignore me

But when the day comes and they are un corruptable and honest and have a high standard of living then there will be no Farangs living there.

Keep it up Generals

[Ricardo]

We are all farangs, once we pass a line drawn on a map, which is why we need to stand up for human rights for all, regardless of colour/race/creed/political-beliefs.

And suing someone, for thinking differently from the Head-Waiter and daring to say so, ought to be a no-no. It has to be possible to say - "The emperor has no clothes on" !

[Jai Dee]

Sondhi gets three years for defamation

Sondhi Limthongkul, The leader of last year's protests against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, has been sentenced to three years in prison for defaming the billionaire during a rally, according to Criminal Court.

Sondhi Limthongkul, the media baron who spearheaded street demonstrations that culminated in the coup against Thaksin, was released on 300,000 baht (9,000 dollar) bail pending an appeal, the Criminal Court in Bangkok said.

He was convicted over claims made to a rally in Bangkok in March 2006, when Sondhi said that Thaksin had tried to have him assassinated, according to AFP.

Sondhi had also accused the government of burning down a stage used by the protesters on the resort isle of Phuket, and said Thaksin was overly superstitious.

Sondhi had already been convicted in March this year of defaming a minister in Thaksin's government. That case is also on appeal.

Although Sondhi achieved prominence with the anti-Thaksin protests, his own controversial business dealings prevented him from turning the movement into a political machine of his own.

Sondhi has been largely silent since the coup in September 2006.

His latest conviction came as Thaksin announced in Hong Kong that he planned to return to Thailand as early as February, ending his self-imposed exile in Britain after his allies emerged as the biggest winners in weekend elections.

Source: The Manager - 25 December 2007

[raro]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

Am I missing here something? As to my knowledge people sentenced to jail terms cannot run for public office....please fill me in on the details!

[blaze]

We are all farangs, once we pass a line drawn on a map, which is why we need to stand up for human rights for all, regardless of colour/race/creed/political-beliefs.

And suing someone, for thinking differently from the Head-Waiter and daring to say so, ought to be a no-no. It has to be possible to say - "The emperor has no clothes on" !

What about publicly stating that someone has committed a crime that in fact, they never committed?

[sriracha john]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

Am I missing here something? As to my knowledge people sentenced to jail terms cannot run for public office....please fill me in on the details!

The guilty are presumed innocent until every avenue of appeal has been exhausted..... with varying amounts of time involved for that process.

[John K]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

Am I missing here something? As to my knowledge people sentenced to jail terms cannot run for public office....please fill me in on the details!

The guilty are presumed innocent until every avenue of appeal has been exhausted..... with varying amounts of time involved for that process.

In the west that status would keep them from getting elected with political correctness run amok. In Thailand it seems to work opposite if you consider what happened Sunday.

[jeffer]

Fortunately Sondhi is lucky he is not living in the dark ages of jolly old England where as recently as 1637, an English writer named William Prynn made the unfortunate mistake of writing a book that criticized the queen. Brought before a panel of judges, Prynn was found guilty of libel and ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison. As an added punishment, he had his ears lopped off before he was hauled off to jail.

It's modern day Thailand so I guess Sondhi is lucky to still have his ears !

Don't give them any ideas or before you know it they'll be trying to get this brought into law as well.

[sriracha john]

Samak qualified as prime minister despite conviction: PPP lawyer Chusak

People Power Party legal adviser Chusak Sirinil said on Wednesday that his party leader Samak Sundaravej was qualified to serve as prime minister even though he was sentenced in April to serve two years in jail following his conviction for defamation.

Samak was freed on bail pending the appellate review on the libel lawsuit filed by former Bangkok Deputy Governor Samart Ratchapholsit.

"The litigation on libel is classified as a misdemeanor, hence an exemption as the disqualification applies only to a felony," Chusak said.

- The Nation

===================================

2 years in prison for Samak and 3 years in prison for Sondhi..... that's one heck of a "misdeameanor".....

[hammered]

I guess once the political situation clams down we will get back the same old sue and counter sue for a billion baht thingy.

As my wife once said why not just sue for the most humiliating public apoplogy and one baht damages if it were just about right and wrong instead of a way of trying to force people to back down (try talking about Samak and 1976) or to financially ruin. This is one apsect of Thai politcs and public life that I personally find abhorent not to mention a waste of time and of course a driect way of stymying free speech. Why not a constitutional ammendment to allow all free speech?

[blaze]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

Am I missing here something? As to my knowledge people sentenced to jail terms cannot run for public office....please fill me in on the details!

The guilty are presumed innocent until every avenue of appeal has been exhausted..... with varying amounts of time involved for that process.

In the west that status would keep them from getting elected with political correctness run amok. In Thailand it seems to work opposite if you consider what happened Sunday.

Prohibiting convicted felons from holding political office is an example of 'political correctness run amok"?

[hammered]

Maybe in Thailand a lot of people dont see much difference betweena convicted felon and a politician. Now come to think of it maybe not just Thailand

[sriracha john]

Prohibiting convicted felons from holding political office is an example of 'political correctness run amok"?

Maybe in Thailand a lot of people dont see much difference betweena convicted felon and a politician. Now come to think of it maybe not just Thailand

[John K]

Interesting. He shares something very much in common with the next Prime Minister....

Samak and Dusit

Court sentences Samak to two years in jail on defamation suit

Court sentenced Thursday former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej and veteran politician Dusit Siriwan to two years in jail on defamation suit against a former deputy Bangkok governor.

Court said that Samak and Dusit said libellous statements against Samart Ratchaponlasit in their television talk show programme on the Channel 5 last year.

- The Nation / Apr. 12, 2007

===============================

btw, Dusit is the husband of the hopefully-soon-to-be-indicted Jathumas, who was, just to bring things around in a full circle with the OP, appointed by Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=159387

US Couple Arrested In Bangkok Film Festival Graft Probe

Am I missing here something? As to my knowledge people sentenced to jail terms cannot run for public office....please fill me in on the details!

The guilty are presumed innocent until every avenue of appeal has been exhausted..... with varying amounts of time involved for that process.

In the west that status would keep them from getting elected with political correctness run amok. In Thailand it seems to work opposite if you consider what happened Sunday.

Prohibiting convicted felons from holding political office is an example of 'political correctness run amok"?

Actually not that particular part of political correctness, the part about smiling as someone and being hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit is part of the running amok part. Although not mentioned sexual harassment lawsuits started with a valid reason like perhaps uninvited groping. That has now progress into madness in the west with unsolicited smiles getting you in trouble. I am sure people in the west can relate.

I only mentioned that to show two extremes Thai and west, however back on topic....

[jumnien]

Funny how what should have been a headline story was buried in the Thai media. Maybe Sondhi and Sonthi could be cell mates?