British 'Finnwatch' activist faces prosecution in Thailand

[Bluespunk]

what is wrong with that to investigate working conditions

The truth might come out

[Bluespunk]

defamation laws exists for a reason.

Yes, but different countries have different reasons.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Bluespunk

[dunque]

Finnwatch researcher nabbed for 'defaming' Thai fruit juice exporter

BANGKOK: -- British researcher Andy Hall returned to court in Thailand on June 18 to hear the fourth charge brought against him by Natural Fruit, a Thai pineapple processing company.cropped-andy-hall-header

Hall, who lives in Rangoon, was charged with criminal defamation for revealing labour abuses allegedly committed by the company during an Al Jazeera video report produced in the former Burmese capital.

After being escorted by police to the Prakanong public prosecutor’s office in Bangkok, Hall was arraigned and taken into custody, but was released on bail after two hours in a detention cell.

Read more: DVB

Source: http://scandasia.com/finnwatch-researcher-nabbed-for-defaming-thai-fruit-juice-exporter/

-- ScandAsia 2014-06-19

This guy obviously has a keen sense of irony - reporting on the abuse of workers' right for a news service owned by the Qatari royal family. Perhaps he could look at their construction industry ?

[Shaunduhpostman]

If they throw the book at him, it will only add to the pressure on Thailand to clean up its act as far as human rights.

The international human rights watchers don't just sweep these things under the rug as perhaps might be assumed by the courts and the fruit company. As we know Thailand is on the verge of having its shrimp exports blocked for similar abuses as is being pointed out by Finnwatch. I'm sure note will be taken and the courts should, but undoubtedly will not, consider the consequences of a ruling against Finnwatch.

I also wonder if Thailand hasn't signed international human rights agreements that would not, in theory, allow Thailand to have the kind of defamation laws that it does.

[kingalfred]

There is no freedom of speech in Thailand .To even talk film or write about about illegality in the country is better done from outside, many Thais know that. So why the surprise and sympathy for Hall ? He should have known better.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[kinmaew]

Another example of Thailand's "Democracy in Action"

[razer]

The Army, I think, want to make a lot of wrongs in Thailand right. Mistreatment of migrant workers is related to the severe corruption that has been eroding Thai education and infrastructure.Let it play out and see where it goes.

[StreetCowboy]

 

Another example of Thailand's "Democracy in Action"

 

I think the corporation was merely acting within its rights to defend itself against defamation, as defined by the law. You can't really blame the military for the laws that have been put in place in Thailand, and I don't think the government is involved in the defamation case.

SC

[metisdead]

Posts with messed up quotes have been removed.

[Maestro]

Removed off-topic post and troll posts and the replies to them.

[Emster23]

"You can't really blame the military for the laws that have been put in place in Thailand, and I don't think the government is involved in the defamation case." Since the military is now the government, you can blame them. And they have been the government many times before thanks to coups. Since they now have omnipotent power, they could just abolish that archaic law and put in reasonable one. Lots of examples of those in other countries if they don't know. But wait. Navy is part of military (last time I looked) and they are going after Pulitzer winners..... Makes me think of quote (I.F. Stone?) "No dictatorship ever shut down newspaper that agreed with it".

[Krataiboy]

"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither" - Benjamin Franklyn

[oldsailor35]

Oxymoron of the day the Thai "public secret." I hope Mr. Hall has the resources necessary to defend himself and win the case. If it is a charge against printed or video media, then it is libel and the defense is 'truth." Was it proven to be true? It's a certainty that Mr. Hall has his evidence and hopefully will receive a fair trial and unbiased interpretation by the judges.

Unfortunately 'truth' is not the defense you think it is under the Thai defamation laws. These laws are horrendous and do nothing to better the country but protect criminality and malpractice and hamper progress.

Thailand does not like its dirty laundry aired in public, true or not. Like its society it prefers things unexposed and hidden so it can deceive itself of reality. It is a mirror of society and the way people personally conduct themselves as a general rule.

Western nations are guilty of turning a blind eye for the benefit of profits which is just as nauseating, preferring to pay lip service to fool their consumers, the average person who does not want to support slavery and in humane conditions and would prefer to buy from more morally responsible companies. Unfortunately the same people want things as cheaply as possible which does not gel.

What a wonderful world we live in.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Are these migrent workers being forced to work in these factories or are they in Thailand working because the pay and conditions in Thailand are better than in there own countries?

If this is about migrent workers on boats whitnessing mirders than we have a different case,,,murder. Why is this about workers willing to work for more money than they could earn elswhere and not about exploited, forced, slavory if this is what's happening???

Children will also ( and do) work for below rate wages. So i gather , in your opinion that this is ok and should be allowed by the authorities !

[a99az]

With luck all the foreign workers who are leaving now will just show how much there labour is needed in Thailand and server to improve there lot should they return. Get them all to join together and demand fair pay and living conditions now or with draw there labour while there worth is fresh in the minds of Thais.

[elgordo38]

Kangaroo Court no doubt

[6NS]

Oxymoron of the day the Thai "public secret." I hope Mr. Hall has the resources necessary to defend himself and win the case. If it is a charge against printed or video media, then it is libel and the defense is 'truth." Was it proven to be true? It's a certainty that Mr. Hall has his evidence and hopefully will receive a fair trial and unbiased interpretation by the judges.

Unfortunately 'truth' is not the defense you think it is under the Thai defamation laws. These laws are horrendous and do nothing to better the country but protect criminality and malpractice and hamper progress.

Thailand does not like its dirty laundry aired in public, true or not. Like its society it prefers things unexposed and hidden so it can deceive itself of reality. It is a mirror of society and the way people personally conduct themselves as a general rule.

Western nations are guilty of turning a blind eye for the benefit of profits which is just as nauseating, preferring to pay lip service to fool their consumers, the average person who does not want to support slavery and in humane conditions and would prefer to buy from more morally responsible companies. Unfortunately the same people want things as cheaply as possible which does not gel.

What a wonderful world we live in.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Are these migrent workers being forced to work in these factories or are they in Thailand working because the pay and conditions in Thailand are better than in there own countries?

If this is about migrent workers on boats whitnessing mirders than we have a different case,,,murder. Why is this about workers willing to work for more money than they could earn elswhere and not about exploited, forced, slavory if this is what's happening???

Children will also ( and do) work for below rate wages. So i gather , in your opinion that this is ok and should be allowed by the authorities !

No, in my opinion child labour is not ok. I just have a hard time understanding people working for under the minimum wage if it's not a better life than where they come from. It's terable seeing all these imegrants fleeing back home to even less of a life.

I think this whole topic is two-fold,,, WAGES & SLAVRY. I think low wages are a problem only when some kind of slavry or entrapment is taking place, and in this case bring the hammer down hard. Gather evidence and follow through. If done in this way an actevist isn't/shouldn't be in trouble like he is.

[6NS]

With luck all the foreign workers who are leaving now will just show how much there labour is needed in Thailand and server to improve there lot should they return. Get them all to join together and demand fair pay and living conditions now or with draw there labour while there worth is fresh in the minds of Thais.

Yes there labor and more-so know-how will be missed greatly. I agree they should be banding together and demanding easier work visa enrolement.

Is it not true that this will all be mute once the Asian community is in place? ONE WORLD ASIA.

[easybullet3]

SHAME ON The Office of the ATTOURNEY GENERAL !!!

shame on you for being so corrupt and trying to hide holes in The Thai Economy.
- This guy did a GOOD JOB and you chastise him for it (just to protect your trafficking trade)

[worzel]

Oxymoron of the day the Thai "public secret." I hope Mr. Hall has the resources necessary to defend himself and win the case. If it is a charge against printed or video media, then it is libel and the defense is 'truth." Was it proven to be true? It's a certainty that Mr. Hall has his evidence and hopefully will receive a fair trial and unbiased interpretation by the judges.

what planet you just jump off fair trail in thailand ha ha money talks bullshit dont walk here

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[intel4004]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Finnwatch researcher nabbed for 'defaming' Thai fruit juice exporter



BANGKOK: -- British researcher Andy Hall returned to court in Thailand on June 18 to hear the fourth charge brought against him by Natural Fruit, a Thai pineapple processing company.cropped-andy-hall-header

Hall, who lives in Rangoon, was charged with criminal defamation for revealing labour abuses allegedly committed by the company during an Al Jazeera video report produced in the former Burmese capital.

After being escorted by police to the Prakanong public prosecutor’s office in Bangkok, Hall was arraigned and taken into custody, but was released on bail after two hours in a detention cell.

Read more: DVB

Source: http://scandasia.com/finnwatch-researcher-nabbed-for-defaming-thai-fruit-juice-exporter/

-- ScandAsia 2014-06-19

This guy obviously has a keen sense of irony - reporting on the abuse of workers' right for a news service owned by the Qatari royal family. Perhaps he could look at their construction industry ?

Perhaps you need to look at these links regarding the Aljazeera network before you start implying anything.....

Aljazeera reporting on worker abuses in Qatar

Wikipedia info

From their US affiliate

Some of the posters seem to be judging this from how defamation laws work in Western countries. Read up a bit, things are very different here, such as:

1. "Truth" is not part of the issue, and is not a defense. If "victim" of defamation loses esteem etc, that is good enough

2. Defamation is criminal, not civil. You can get serious jail time for speaking your mind. Don't think that happens most places in the West.

I am sure there are more differences, maybe others can add. But those two I listed seem to be major.

So anyone accused of any wrongdoing whatsoever, wrongly or otherwise is by human nature going to lose esteem?!

" If "victim" of defamation loses esteem" ..... If you are a victim of defamation there is no "if" about it, your esteem is negatively impacted!

Perhaps you can give me a practical example of what you mean as I'm having difficulty understanding this logic where truth is ignored.

[malm1943]

what is wrong with that to investigate working conditions

Firstly, it'll reduce the profits of the greedy proprietors & the allowances to the top management.

Secondly it'll reduce or/and stop the tea-money given under the table to corrupt top officials.

My salute to the British "Finnwatch" activist.

Bonuses (& not allowances) to the top management.

Edited June 20, 2014 by malm1943

[climbertrev1]

The prosecution has highlighted the issue far better than the report. Good Job, Natural Fruit!

I agree 100% the Thai authorities may well rue the day they took this course of action. This is really about someone reporting malpractice to a foreign news group.

and the authorities in ThaIland attempting to suppress that reporting. It will achieve the exact opposite. I just hope that Finnwatch has the resources to protect their activist. Natural Fruit may well experience some rather different effects of globalisation as a result of this prosecution. I had no knowledge of Natural Fruit until this happened. I do now and will be extra vigilant as a result..

[kieran2698]

Oxymoron of the day the Thai "public secret." I hope Mr. Hall has the resources necessary to defend himself and win the case. If it is a charge against printed or video media, then it is libel and the defense is 'truth." Was it proven to be true? It's a certainty that Mr. Hall has his evidence and hopefully will receive a fair trial and unbiased interpretation by the judges.

Unfortunately 'truth' is not the defense you think it is under the Thai defamation laws. These laws are horrendous and do nothing to better the country but protect criminality and malpractice and hamper progress.

Thailand does not like its dirty laundry aired in public, true or not. Like its society it prefers things unexposed and hidden so it can deceive itself of reality. It is a mirror of society and the way people personally conduct themselves as a general rule.

Western nations are guilty of turning a blind eye for the benefit of profits which is just as nauseating, preferring to pay lip service to fool their consumers, the average person who does not want to support slavery and in humane conditions and would prefer to buy from more morally responsible companies. Unfortunately the same people want things as cheaply as possible which does not gel.

What a wonderful world we live in.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Are these migrent workers being forced to work in these factories or are they in Thailand working because the pay and conditions in Thailand are better than in there own countries?

If this is about migrent workers on boats whitnessing mirders than we have a different case,,,murder. Why is this about workers willing to work for more money than they could earn elswhere and not about exploited, forced, slavory if this is what's happening???

The initial attraction made by the promise of good wages is revealed to be false unfortunately late; with low wages and indebted beyond their means, employees feel forced to cooperate with an increasing demand set by the employer and the "job" becomes a legalised form of slavery. At least this is how it works for most people in the UK.

[cerebo]

Interesting video here from Finnwatch with Andy Hall.

Edited June 20, 2014 by cerebo

[German Viking]

Hi "Card" I like your comment to this case.

I pay great respect to Andy Hall and what he did, but I have a problem with hypocrites and cowards, they should better shut their mouth an go back in their cave.

[harber8]

Great advertising. Mission accomplished!!

[Traveling Sailor]

Well I hope that this ridiculous prosecution only serves to further highlight the human trafficking taking place in Thailand and a forthcoming, well deserved downgrade.

I wholeheartedly second this emotion. As per today's "paper that cannot be quoted", the NCPO is looking for a rise. However, with stupid lawsuits like this, Thailand should be sent to the lowest ranking.

[allan michaud]

Hopefully the Americans take note of this when they announce their latest report on trafficking.

The wonderful land of the Crocodile Smile.

[Traveling Sailor]

In Thailand truth is not necessarily a defence against libel; if the offended party can show loss or damage, that may be sufficient ..... We're talking about disruption of harmony here.

OK, but couldn't a good, smart Thai lawyer find something to charge Natural Fruit with ???

[Jonmarleesco]

Typical Thai; to rely on court proceedings to push the unpalatable under the carpet. Not the same, though, when the international media get on a case such as the shrimp slavery allegations, is it? Difficult to threaten them with a defamation suit in the hope it will make things go away.