Thai Channel 7 journalist seeks support over libel charge

[webfact]

COURT
Channel 7 journalist seeks support over libel charge
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- An assistant chief of the Channel 7 television station's news team is seeking help from various organisations after his work exposing alleged budget-use irregularities in the Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organisation resulted in him being charged with defamation.

Sompoch Toraksa yesterday met with the chief of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT), the Thai Journalists' Association, the Lawyers Council of Thailand, and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association.

His news coverage reportedly raised questions about the local administrative organisation's Bt800-million budget for temples.

Sompoch yesterday said he had not accused any organisation of being corrupt, but just wanted to alert the public about abbots' concerns about budget use.

"I will continue to do my duty," he said.

ACT chief Pramon Sutivong said his organisation would look into how to help Sompoch and to prevent such cases from hurting the morale of people working against corruption.

"When media present news related to corruption, society pays more attention to corruption issues," he said.

He said he wanted to see the public become more aware of anti-graft efforts.

According to Pramon, the case against Sompoch is now being handled by investigators and it remains to be seen whether it will go to court.

-- The Nation 2013-08-14

[whybother]

This is why investigative journalism barely exists in Thailand.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thai at Heart]

This is why investigative journalism barely exists in Thailand.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Does this guy have a line account? Strike another screw up for the Thai legal system....

[chainarong]

This is the old ploy , gets dragged out every time some one opens up on corruption , they strut there stuff huffing and puffing, berating their way out of a tight corner to live another day to carry on corruption, the journalist should be commended and the courts should start to rule in favour of the right to disclose corruption, however the mentality in Thailand to corruption has always favoured the rich and the beautiful people, Thailand needs a massive change in direction for this to change.

[NongKhaiKid]

Hardly a day without lawsuits being threatened but how many actually get aired in court ?

Frivolous lawsuits should be treated as contempt of court and maybe this playground behaviour will be reduced. It's not libel, defamation or anything else it's childish loss of face

[clockman]

The corrupt put these laws in place, just so nobody would investigate them. T.I.T..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CrisRMenumate]

The outdated "criminal" defamation laws exist to assist the rich and powerful to control any that would get in their way. There is no protection for "whistleblowers" who report crimes or corruption. In fact more often than not they end up becoming criminalised as a result of their attempts to maintain their ethics and moral standards. The corrupt are enriched while being involved deeply in the corrupt thoughts and deeds that plague this country at every level of society, that is in fact woven deeply into the fabric of society on a day to day basis.

[heybruce]

This is why I say that Thailand only has the appearance of a free press. International papers are readily available, but any jounalist who dares to report verifiable facts that indicate local corruption, or in any other way offends the rich and powerful, risks legal problems or worse. No aciton is taken against the rich and powerful unless they have fallen out of political favor. This is normal in any corrupt society, a corrupt government can't tolerate a truly free press.

[Muirton]

Tell the truth in Thailand, go to jail in Thailand. What else is new?

To give Yingluck credit, and, of course, half of ThaiVisa never will, she's chipping at this problem. She actually recognizes the existence of organizations like Human Rights Watch by giving them facetime. and in some?/all? cases, she took the Thailand-shaming shackles off.

[Cnxforever]

the criminal libel laws in Thailand only excist to protect the crooks from being accused because even if they are guilty most people who fight corruption / con artists can not afford to go through several instances and costly court cases and these crooks know very well how to wear them down!

Just look at what is happening in Phuket right now - everybody knows what is going on there - but if anybody dares to make it public they are threatened with law suites by the criminals who have stolen enough money to afford costly and lengthy legal battles.

I really feel sorry for the honest people in this country - they are fighting a battle they can't win as long as these outdated laws exist.

[tingtongteesood]

The courts really should start charging to bring all these defamation suits and if your suit is found to be crap and you really did do what they said, you should be fined by the courts for wasting their time, and I say it should not be a set fine, it should be a certain percentage of your annual income based upon your tax returns, and if you don't have any tax returns it will have an additional fine for that too. After a while things may improve somewhat...the rich will still waste people's time with this crap as long as it doesn't cost them. Anything to save face, could be a good tax earner.

[kimamey]

Tell the truth in Thailand, go to jail in Thailand. What else is new?

To give Yingluck credit, and, of course, half of ThaiVisa never will, she's chipping at this problem. She actually recognizes the existence of organizations like Human Rights Watch by giving them facetime. and in some?/all? cases, she took the Thailand-shaming shackles off.

I'm not sure if what you're saying about Yingluck is true but if it is well done to her?

[MaxLee]

Unfortunately, people who dig too deep into the core of corruption are being silenced, ... lethally

Edited August 14, 2013 by MaxLee

[tonneke breda]

Thais trow with slander cases faster than I can change my underpants.

When are they going to learn from criticism and fight for their country???

[tonneke breda]

Tell the truth in Thailand, go to jail in Thailand. What else is new?

To give Yingluck credit, and, of course, half of ThaiVisa never will, she's chipping at this problem. She actually recognizes the existence of organizations like Human Rights Watch by giving them facetime. and in some?/all? cases, she took the Thailand-shaming shackles off.

She tries to take her brothers shackles of, not off the people

[zydeco]

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. But my understanding of the defamation law in Thailand is that it does NOT matter whether the person making the accusation is is right. All that matters is if it results in someone being defamed and/or bearing a financial loss. If so, you are guilty of defamation. Hypothetically (not speaking about the above case), I suppose it would be possible for someone steal millions, be accused of it, then sue for defamation resulting in the loss of their stolen loot, and then successfully take the accuser to court and not only put him in jail but get a monetary settlement out of it.

[MaxLee]

Defamation cases are all the same: They involve any high status end person to save face by any means, even over dead bodies

[bigbamboo]

So one minute people are being asked by the government to expose corruption and the next they are prosecuted for doing it..

[SOTIRIOS]

This is the old ploy , gets dragged out every time some one opens up on corruption , they strut there stuff huffing and puffing, berating their way out of a tight corner to live another day to carry on corruption, the journalist should be commended and the courts should start to rule in favour of the right to disclose corruption, however the mentality in Thailand to corruption has always favoured the rich and the beautiful people, Thailand needs a massive change in direction for this to change.

...but of course, the housewife said she was going to take care of corruption in Thailand....

[Thai at Heart]

This is the old ploy , gets dragged out every time some one opens up on corruption , they strut there stuff huffing and puffing, berating their way out of a tight corner to live another day to carry on corruption, the journalist should be commended and the courts should start to rule in favour of the right to disclose corruption, however the mentality in Thailand to corruption has always favoured the rich and the beautiful people, Thailand needs a massive change in direction for this to change.

It just sums up the very circle of corruption in Thailand so perfectly.

The richer and more corrupt you become, the further beyond accusation you can become.,.......

[Thai at Heart]

Why do they accuse him personally? Why not the TV channel? Presumably there are more than just one person working on a job like this??

[Muirton]

"She tries to take her brothers shackles of, not off the people". For the record, Thai news has shown shackles being removed from prisoners.

This is a classic anti-Taksin comment on Thai Visa.k Which is to say, cheesier than Époisses de Bourgogne, cheaper than a maisonette in Chernobyl and dumber than George Bush

[khunken]

"She tries to take her brothers shackles of, not off the people". For the record, Thai news has shown shackles being removed from prisoners.

This is a classic anti-Taksin comment on Thai Visa.k Which is to say, cheesier than Époisses de Bourgogne, cheaper than a maisonette in Chernobyl and dumber than George Bush

Instead of writing a wacky irrelevant reply, why don't you tell us what Yingluck has done to de-criminalise the defamation laws in Thailand.

In fact, she has done the opposite. Two examples:

When a lady involved with the rice scheme voiced her comments about it being riddled with corruption, what was the response? She is under investigation - not the corruption.

When a comedian posted his take on Yingluck's Mongolian party political speech, what was the response? he was 'invited' to talk to the police.

In fairness the previous 10 or so governments have done nothing too.

[Muirton]

Khunken: I agree with you. Yingluck is not winning the war but she is fighting the battle, a first for Thailand.

btw, my reply was clever, funny and accurate. there are far too many cheap shots fired at Yingluck and her brother by folks who think they're being clever.

[khunken]

Khunken: I agree with you. Yingluck is not winning the war but she is fighting the battle, a first for Thailand.

btw, my reply was clever, funny and accurate. there are far too many cheap shots fired at Yingluck and her brother by folks who think they're being clever.

But you don't agree with me. Yingluck is not fighting any battle against the defamation laws. Her party is misusing them on her behalf and she is complicit.

You are of course entitled to praise your own post. Some cheap shots are indeed fired at Yingluck but any fired against her brother are well deserved.

[Muirton]

"Some cheap shots are indeed fired at Yingluck but any fired against her brother are well deserved."

"Any" is over-reaching surely. He's not Beelzebub, as I say half of ThaiVisa likes to say he is. "Some" will do fine.

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[Langsuan Man]

This is no different than Thai Visa's no name and shame policy

The truth is no defense here or any where else in Thailand

[Dap]

Khunken: I agree with you. Yingluck is not winning the war but she is fighting the battle, a first for Thailand.

btw, my reply was clever, funny and accurate. there are far too many cheap shots fired at Yingluck and her brother by folks who think they're being clever.

Congrats. It appears you made the grade, "clever" that is