Thai Navy to file suit against Reuters over Rohingya report

[webfact]

Navy to file suit against Reuters over Rohingya report
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Navy will file suit against an international news agency for a Pulitzer Prize-winning report on the abuse of Rohingya refugees.

Saying allegations of possible military complicity in the trafficking of the vulnerable minority group was a matter of national security, a navy official told the Bangkok Post a lawsuit was being prepared against London-based Reuters.

The comments from Vice Adm. Tharathorn Kajitsuwan of the 3rd Navy Fleet came in response to calls the navy drop a defamation suit already filed against two Phuket reporters who helped Reuters with its reporting and republished a paragraph from the story. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/04/23/navy-file-suit-against-reuters-over-rohingya-report


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-04-23

[Tywais]

Reuters? Good luck with that. Bet Reuters legal guns are bigger than the Thai Navy's guns.

[clockman]

No smoke without fire!

[Tatsujin]

How to win friends and influence people Thai-style . . . are they actually denying the allegations?

[canopus1969]

They are going to do what

[khwaibah]

Someone may find out that theirs boats don't float the hard way.

[GuestHouse]

Anyone who abhors the abuse of power, the stifling of freedom of speech and the abuse of helpless refugees should encourage the Thai navy to press charges against Reuters and find justice by internationalising this disgraceful mess.

[chainarong]

Where are we filing this suit , in the international court in the Hague or in the down town BKK one, there is a difference and a different in out comes.

[Suriya4]

I was wondering why the Reuter's camera was shot dead in 2010 (alleged by the military). Now I have a better understanding.

[CiaranO]

This is the best thing that could have happened for the Phuket Reporters - this surely will draw the entire spotlight onto the the Thai Navy and the archaic laws they are abusing.

[Mrjlh]

Does Vice Adm. Tharathorn Kajitsuwan realize he is opening up the avenue for more criticism on the World Wide network that will not be favorable to the Navy or himself? Someone should politely sit him down and clearly explain that to him. But I know that won't happen.

[NeverSure]

Anyone who abhors the abuse of power, the stifling of freedom of speech and the abuse of helpless refugees should encourage the Thai navy to press charges against Reuters and find justice by internationalising this disgraceful mess.

Right on.

[evadgib]

well done Drummond:)

[zakk9]

Apparently, they want to maximize publicity around this

I wonder if they've heard about the "Streisand Effect"...

[Just1Voice]

The "How Stupid Can We Look" tour now going international!

[JoeThePoster]

Thai Navy to file suit against Reuters over Rohingya report

They need to take a course in anchor management.

[WoopyDoo]

If there Navy actually were involved, then they are playing a dangerous game indeed.

Pushing Reuters too much will just encourage them to dig deeper and deeper until they manage to unearth evidence to support their defense and really throw egg on the face of the navy.

[BillyBobThai]

What is wrong with you people here on TV? These are some of Thailands finest citizens, the ones whose job it is to protect us.

As I have been reading this morning on TV, I have come across the wonderful Thai citizens who let 2 boys drown in Bangkok. There is the post where a bus driver shows up for work drunk and after being cleared for work no one called the police as they did not want to be involved. I feel quite sure each and everyone of you has heard the same stories.

I have lived in Thailand 10 years this year, and there are days that I ask myself, what the <deleted>> am I doing here.

[bigbamboo]

And the Royal Thai Navy wonders why no one takes them seriously!

God help Thailand if they're ever actually needed to defend the country.

[bendejo]

New motto:

We're the Royal Thai Navy, and we didn't do anything

BiB:

We're the Royal Thai Police force, you pay now

[ggold]

From Coccnuts article;

Tharathorn refused calls to drop the suit from the United Nations, Thailand's National Human Rights Commisison and other international rights groups. Reuters has publicly distanced itself from Phuketwan and made no statement of support.

looks like Reuters don't want to defend the reporters from Phuketwan, But then Tharathorn seems to be going against advice from even the UN!

[CiaranO]

I also think The Thai Navy should thread carefully here - I wonder what might happen in court if Reuters produce evidence of their involvement - now that would be good.

[harkish]

It is one thing to say they are going to file suit, another to actually file, and a third to actually pursue that filing to the nth degree. I suspect this is all bluster, blowing wind in their sails, after getting heat for hitting the Phuket paper but not the source, Reuters. As they look at this more closely, and consider actually having people testify, witnesses give evidence, and Resuters give their source materials in open court, don't be surprised to see this die as quiet a death as the Navy can make it.

[oldsailor35]

I wonder if the crews of the patrol boats tied up at Naton pier know about this. However i doubt it as most of the time they are all fast asleep.

[Genericnic]

There is an old country saying in the US: "A guilty dog barks the loudest."

David

[Thaiisnotrequired]

"Saying allegations of possible military complicity in the trafficking of the vulnerable minority group was a matter of national security"...

Wut?

[laocowboy2]

Reuters? Good luck with that. Bet Reuters legal guns are bigger than the Thai Navy's guns.

And a great way of ensuring Reuters (and everyone else) keeps running the story.

Rule 1 of negative publicity - restrict reaction to (one) simple denial

Rule 2. Then shut up - and do not react to follow-ups.

The circus soon moves on. There is always a newer/more egregious atrocity elsewhere just around the corner - who is talking about MH370 now?

Cynical I know - but true.

[focus27]

If you haven't read it, here is Reuter's most recent article on the issue, from just a few days ago.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/us-thailand-rohingya-special-report-idUSBREA3922P20140410

Looks like the Thais are trying to weasel their way out by claiming a distinction between people smuggling and trafficking. Their problem is the documentary evidence that people in the former category are forced into the second.

This whole story is about Thailand's puffed up sense of superiority that they feel should be recognised by being given a seat on the UN Security Council. The prick in that balloon is the threat that the country will be downgraded for their human trafficking to the same level as North Korea.

This'll be interesting to watch.

[WhizBang]

Does Vice Adm. Tharathorn Kajitsuwan realize he is opening up the avenue for more criticism on the World Wide network that will not be favorable to the Navy or himself? Someone should politely sit him down and clearly explain that to him. But I know that won't happen.

Correct. They will also find out, that outside of Thailand, the truth is the only thing that carries any weight. Their loss of face counts for nothing.

The navies actions will only serve to shine a light on the stupidity of Thais.

[tingtongteesood]

This is clearly nothing but a face saving operation by the Thai government - Reuters may well choose to simply apologize rather than drag it through court. I hope they don't. I just want to know - IS EVERYTHING IN THE ARTICLE TRUE AND CAN REUTERS PROVE IT ? If so then Thailand has no case and should focus it's energy on trying to do something about the problem rather than trying to shoot the messenger. I believe it to be true, I don't think Reuters would publish the article if there was any doubt...? Thailand has to get over it's obssession with 'face' saving and own up to and face its problems.