Something i don't understand

[SOMeTOM]

How it's possible that for just writing or talking bad about something/somebody there is a risk of ending up paying unlimited damages, and if you get assaulted seems that you are not even able to recover the medical expenses?

It's really like that here???

[Seastallion]

Apparently so.

Be careful out there.

[homeownership]

Its called saving face. You might have heard of it, the Thai live by the code of saving face.

[craigt3365]

Yes, it is like this. One reason we are so strict on "name and shame" posts in our forum. Read up on defamation laws here in Thailand. They are draconian.

[HeavyDrinker]

A soi dog called our Graham, an English Spaniel, a 'puff' once and that wrangle is in it's thirteenth year in the high court......

[craigt3365]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/558689-australian-businesswoman-arrested-in-thailand-for-criminal-defamation/

[marko kok prong]

The thing i find worst of all is if a thai hits your car on say a motorbike,they expect you to pay them,not that i would if it was not my fault,everything here is money,my wife's cousin was driving his tractor home recently and a motorbike hit him from behind,four up on the bike,no licence,no helmets,no lights,one girl dead,now in this case he has a problem,it was just after 6pm,apprently, Tractors have to be off the road after 6 pm ,but now the mother of the dead girl wants 200,000b,which he does not have,this was in the hospital she made her demand,you would think she would be to grief stricken to ask at that time but know straight onto the money.

[somchaismith]

Of course, you are Farang rich.

[ATF]

Up to seven years jail for slander. Lese Majeste don't even think about it. Beating the crap out of someone 500 Baht fine. Unless they decide to take you to court.

[wprime]

You can recover compensation for getting assaulted. Usually the assaulter has no money though.

[kimbathewhitelion]

Not bothering reading the posts...in Thailand & white-ish with a big nose (Falang or Farang), the most accurate answer is "foreigners have NO rights"! Thou the society is based on the western nations, Thais can't see past the nxt day. Get some playing cards with cows as pictures...just for when ur upset. Give a cow or for a taxi driver, many.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[susan d]

it depends on you. Do you want to pay or not?

[Emilp]

May be.

[CharlieH]

No, it is, and can be, much worse. You think you are in the Far East ? Nope in so many ways this is the wild wild west, just as lawless and can be just as deadly.

[IMA_FARANG]

No, this is the legal reason you need to be careful what you print or publish about a Thai person.

Thai libel law provides a punishment for "defaming another person's reputation".

It other words if you print or publish a statement about another person that defames their character or reputation, EVEN IF THAT STATMENT IS IN FACT TRUE, that person can sue you for libel.

So if you publish a statement that XXXXX is a thief and stole your money, he or she can sue you for "public defamation of character' even if your statement is true.

For that reason you must be very careful in Thailand exactly what you publish or print about someone.

The libel law is different in Thailand than in most European countries or the U.S. and Canada in that way.

In Thailand your accusation being true is NOT a valid defense against a "defamation of character" suit being filed against you.

.

[IMA_FARANG]

The thing i find worst of all is if a thai hits your car on say a motorbike,they expect you to pay them,not that i would if it was not my fault,everything here is money,my wife's cousin was driving his tractor home recently and a motorbike hit him from behind,four up on the bike,no licence,no helmets,no lights,one girl dead,now in this case he has a problem,it was just after 6pm,apprently, Tractors have to be off the road after 6 pm ,but now the mother of the dead girl wants 200,000b,which he does not have,this was in the hospital she made her demand,you would think she would be to grief stricken to ask at that time but know straight onto the money.

----------------------

Yes, I agree it is not fair.

But you simply don't understand Thai society and customs enough.

Thai society, by custom, was once a small village "consensus based" society.

You were expected to do the right thing and pay compensation to anyone or their family for any accident you were involved in.

In the past this kind of mutual respect consensus society kept the Thai village based social system under control.

Now that that old social code is rapidly breaking down .... due in my opinion to the influence of western values and influence ...... that old social codes and practices ate being perverted by a western orientated "money first" materialist value system.

Sad, but the "creeping cancer of western materialistic Capitalism" is rapidly spreading around the world.

But that's just my opinion.