'yellow Shirt' Leader Gets Six Months Prison In Defamation Case

[webfact]

'Yellow Shirt' leader gets six months prison in defamation case

BANGKOK, Sept 11 (TNA) - Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul and leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, the yellow-shirted group, has been sentenced by Thailand's Court of Appeals to six months in prison for slandering former deputy minister of transport Phumtham Vejjayachai during a live television broadcast in November 2005.

The Criminal Court in 2007 sentenced Mr Sondhi to two years jail for comments he made on November 25, 2005 on his popular Muang Thai Rai Supda (Thailand Weekly) television talk show in which he accused former deputy transport minister Phumtham of disloyalty to the monarch when he joined the Communist Party of Thailand some 30 years ago. He also linked Mr Phumtham to an anti-royal website.

Mr Phumthan was part of the student movement during pro-democracy uprisings in 1973 and 1976, and had said he was forced to flee during a military crackdown.

Mr Sondhi, founder of Manager newspaper appealed the Criminal Court's verdict.

The Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that the Criminal Court punishment was too harsh, and reduced the punishment to six months in jail without suspension.

The court said Mr Sondhi was veteran media executive who should know well that his comments would persuade the public to believe what he said, so it declined to give him a suspended sentence.

Thaiday Dot Com, which runs Manager news website and satellite-based ASTV television station which distributed audio-visual recordings of Mr Sondhi's talk show was fined Bt200,000 baht (US$6,000).

Mr Sondhi was also sentenced to two years in prison Thursday after the Criminal Court found him guilty of making libelous statements against former deputy prime minister and finance minister Pridiyathorn Devakula.

The court refused to suspend the sentence as Mr Sondhi had earlier been found guilty on the Phumtham charges. (TNA)

-- TNA 2009/09/11

[jasreeve17]

Does this mean that he is in prison right now? Or bailed for some reason?

On the other thread most folks are against prison terms for libel, but what do you do if he continues to break the law - it's not as if he doesn't know the laws exist or what the punishments are. Could a powerful civil court stop him from owning / involvement with media companies (which in itself may be considered a limitation on freedom of employment)?

If he flaunts the law so often then how would you stop him?

[topben]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

[jasreeve17]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

These are different cases which are yet to come to court. Each case must be judged on its own merits... Depending how these cases go his time may add up (?).

Edited September 11, 2009 by jasreeve17

[ThNiner]

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

Yeah! Thousands of tourists were maimed and killed by the sitting, clapping, singing and dancing PAD protestors! Woo hoo! Those PAD protestors must have been the deadliest sitting, clapping, singing and dancing protestors in the world! Woo Hoo! What a bloodbath that was!

[DocHolliday]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

Can please elaborate on that and give advise (i.e. with a link to a news report) where do you have seen these assaulted people?

I trust you are aware what 'assault' means.

Edited September 11, 2009 by DocHolliday

[stumonster]

is there a difference between this and the other thread ?

[ThNiner]

is there a difference between this and the other thread ?

Two different cases...if you noticed.

[Samuian]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

Well should he be tared, flogged and feathered instead?

Or may I ask the question from a different perspective?

Why didn't the man who still claims that he "loves this country and wants to serve thy people"

didn't step down, as demanded, the elections were nullified, he said he dissolves the house,

but then he had second thoughts, he didn't want to give up he was caught in a power game -

that still continues - because of this man, the PAD hasonce formed but since long, gone home

and put the yellow shirts back into the closets - but this man keeps rocking the boat and brought as

a mockery of the yellow shirt campaign his devote red shirts on to the streets with some nasty results,

as there was a forced abandoning of ASEAN Meeting, "black songkran", several beating and mob rule upcountry

against poeple who have differing views a couple of murders..

Did you mean this with "assault"....?

Edited September 11, 2009 by Samuian

[jasreeve17]

Any chance we can avoid using the word Thaksin in this thread... not relevant to this court case at all, and so very very very boring...

[animatic]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

These are different cases which are yet to come to court. Each case must be judged on its own merits... Depending how these cases go his time may add up (?).

How odd, I am agreeing with you two days running.

The sky MUST be falling soon.

The time may add up,

but could be served concurrently from the date of each conviction.

[animatic]

Any chance we can avoid using the word Thaksin in this thread... not relevant to this court case at all, and so very very very boring...

How about the

"Man from Chaing Mai"?

or maybe

"Absconder In Chief"

[SHYTALK]

Looks like this guy still has "embedded" friends in high places.

Not so good news for the other potatoe peelers though.

[cougar52]

Any chance we can avoid using the word Thaksin in this thread... not relevant to this court case at all, and so very very very boring...

How about the

"Man from Chaing Mai"?

or maybe

"Absconder In Chief"

I must agree with Jasreeve17, there not one thing on this thread or the case about the very always talked about and infamous MR. T, this is why he is still on there minds because even the Falangs won't make a post without his name. The sooner he is forgotten as a bad dream or nightmare the sooner everyone in Thailand can get back to taking care of the country. The sooner these type people are not headlines, the better for all in the country.

[animatic]

Any chance we can avoid using the word Thaksin in this thread... not relevant to this court case at all, and so very very very boring...

How about the

"Man from Chaing Mai"?

or maybe

"Absconder In Chief"

I must agree with Jasreeve17, there not one thing on this thread or the case about the very always talked about and infamous MR. T, this is why he is still on there minds because even the Falangs won't make a post without his name. The sooner he is forgotten as a bad dream or nightmare the sooner everyone in Thailand can get back to taking care of the country. The sooner these type people are not headlines, the better for all in the country.

Or just make his plans quieter and suddenly surprise us unpleasantly...

Well Sondhi's mouth is certainly unwinding his clock.

But he has good lawyers, so we'll see how long the stalling will last.

[Ricardo]

Looks like this guy still has "embedded" friends in high places.

Not so good news for the other potatoe peelers though.

If Sondhi had "friends in high places", who you seem to imply might have the power to improperly influence his sentence in some way, wouldn't they have reduced it all-the-way to 'good behaviour' & no time in jail ?

It does say something about the man, that he stays here as these cases come to court and find him guilty and sentence him to time in jail, that he doesn't 'do a runner', like a former political associate of his.

And do they still, or did they ever, peel potatoes in Thai jails ?

Edited September 11, 2009 by Ricardo

[givenall]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

I agree this is too little. They should also fine him millions for is action. I think that would be a good listen for all this people who break the law by abusing the rights they are given

[jasreeve17]

only six months??????

after thousands of tourists were assaulted?????

n, after costng thai tourism millions n millions of thai bahts????

n, soon he will be relased early from prison for good behaviour after wining n dinig well in prison with visitors n well-wishers in tow??????

wow!!!!!!!!1

These are different cases which are yet to come to court. Each case must be judged on its own merits... Depending how these cases go his time may add up (?).

How odd, I am agreeing with you two days running.

The sky MUST be falling soon.

The time may add up,

but could be served concurrently from the date of each conviction.

Yes, you're learning to love me, it always happens in the end, don't fight it, it's irrepressible...

Is Sondhi actually in prison as we speak? How can he not be? But, I doubt he is...

[noithip]

Is Sondhi actually in prison as we speak? How can he not be? But, I doubt he is...

"He was released on bail pending the appellate review."

Does anybody know what happend to Samak? I never heard anything about him in a while, since he was released from hospital...

[jasreeve17]

Is Sondhi actually in prison as we speak? How can he not be? But, I doubt he is...

"He was released on bail pending the appellate review."

Does anybody know what happend to Samak? I never heard anything about him in a while, since he was released from hospital...

I thought the bail was for yesterday's case.

If not, then two bails in two days, one from an appeals court case (is it even possible for an appellate to consider an appeals court case?), seems overtly generous... If the criminal court sentenced him in 2007, then the Court of Appeals sentenced today, but he's still not in jail then when does the jail time start?

[noithip]

I thought the bail was for yesterday's case.

If not, then two bails in two days, one from an appeals court case (is it even possible for an appellate to consider an appeals court case?), seems overtly generous... If the criminal court sentenced him in 2007, then the Court of Appeals sentenced today, but he's still not in jail then when does the jail time start?

Next stop Supreme Court!

[jasreeve17]

I thought the bail was for yesterday's case.

If not, then two bails in two days, one from an appeals court case (is it even possible for an appellate to consider an appeals court case?), seems overtly generous... If the criminal court sentenced him in 2007, then the Court of Appeals sentenced today, but he's still not in jail then when does the jail time start?

Next stop Supreme Court!

Maybe the Supreme Court will knock it down to 90 days.

If he keeps this going long enough they'll owe him time...

[Gary A]

Has anyone ever seen an elite actually serve jail time? Any time he serves will be in his living room. It's all a joke. I find it another joke that he is convicted of libel but nothing has been done about closing the airports.

[noithip]

Maybe the Supreme Court will knock it down to 90 days.

If he keeps this going long enough they'll owe him time...

I think this guy was doing a great job gathering the masses at the time, seems like he had much of something called boon:

If he stays out of jail would be fine with me...

Again anything about Samaks whereabouts? He has two years waiting for him, right?

[jasreeve17]

All is very quiet on the Samak front. The whole PM effort seemed to take a lot out of him; his was well out of his depth...

[animatic]

Is Sondhi actually in prison as we speak? How can he not be? But, I doubt he is...

"He was released on bail pending the appellate review."

Does anybody know what happend to Samak? I never heard anything about him in a while, since he was released from hospital...

I thought the bail was for yesterday's case.

If not, then two bails in two days, one from an appeals court case (is it even possible for an appellate to consider an appeals court case?), seems overtly generous... If the criminal court sentenced him in 2007, then the Court of Appeals sentenced today, but he's still not in jail then when does the jail time start?

Yes one more to appeal,

and one more appeal to appeal,

then get sick for a spell a la Samak.

Or maybe he will make political statement and just go to jail.

It's not like his crew would be rudderless in that case.

[billaaa777]

Different countries certainly have different laws and I have stopped trying to understand Thailand's a long time ago.

No jail time for inciting crowds to invade the Government House and International Airport, but jail time for liable.

I wish I was smart enough to understand this, unfortunately I am not and it is left up to others with more insight.

[ThNiner]

Different countries certainly have different laws and I have stopped trying to understand Thailand's a long time ago.

No jail time for inciting crowds to invade the Government House and International Airport, but jail time for liable.

I wish I was smart enough to understand this, unfortunately I am not and it is left up to others with more insight.

It might help you to understand Thailand better, if you were actually smart enough to know that those cases are still pending rulings.

[billaaa777]

It might help you to understand Thailand better, if you were actually smart enough to know that those cases are still pending rulings.

Your so right, I have only been here six years. And it has only been about two years now that we have been waiting for those cases to come to court. I am sure you know why those HUGE law breaking activities against the people of Thailand have not moved forward, but a small case against a single person has.

[animatic]

Hello...Bill...

The airport was only LAST DECEMBER.... not even a year.

Or is your internal clock running on double speed?

We have only just passed the date of Samak's SOE starting the Red Rioting season.

The airport trial is moving along the docket, and just a Sondhi was convicted

for two things from two years ago, sometime in the next year PAD will step back onto the docket.

They have just gotten to Oct 7th, still not worked up to Dec 4th yet.

Like it or not the Thai courts are slow. But uniformly slow.