More angst for Aust journo in Thailand

[rooster59]

More angst for Aust journo in Thailand

AN Australian journalist acquitted on a charge of defamation brought by the Royal Thai Navy, faces fresh anxiety with a public prosecutor seeking a further extension to appeal the verdict.

ALAN Morison, publisher of online website Phuketwan, says he remains concerned over the judicial process despite the Phuket criminal court clearing him.

"It's very frustrating. We think the judge's verdict was a great victory for Thai justice and freedom of speech in Thailand," Morison told AAP on Saturday.
"But it's since being obscured by a couple of extensions of the leave time in which to appeal and has reduced the virtue of the judge's verdict."

Full story: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/more-angst-for-aust-journo-in-thailand/story-fni0xqlk-1227609373543

--Daily Telegraph 2015-11-15

[Somtamnication]

Time to leave, mate.

[trainman34014]

More time and money wasted on a non-event when there is so much to do that is important....like dragging their own people out of poverty !

[Lex Talionis]

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

[ChrisY1]

Agree with the above posters.....the justice system here will drain resources from victims, such as Alan under the pretence of appeals and will continue.........

Pack-up....walk away...... and then write from the freedom of democracy.......the system here does not deserve to be propped up!!

Edited November 15, 2015 by ChrisY1

[clockman]

The whole of society is broken.!

[ezzra]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

[lavender19]

Time to leave, mate.

Looks like quite a few journos may be leaving after the report just published by Reporters without Borders.

It's only going to get worse

[jalansanitwong]

Three outspoken people have died in custody recently . if i were Morrisson i would get out of Thailand while I'm still able.

There is no crusade worth fighting in LOS.

The military runs this country now or has Morrisson forgotten this.

Guess who has all the tanks.

Edited November 15, 2015 by jalansanitwong

[stevenl]

They won't appeal, they're just harassing him a bit the same way he is harassing everybody else.

[useronthenet]

There is no freedom of speech in Thailand. Foreigners are not welcome, especially ones which appear to be meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state. Better to leave, and bleat about freedoms somewhere else where somebody will listen.

[Rorri]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

This particular "editor" has, on numerous occasions, altered readers comments, to suit his own agenda, then has the cheek to critise the commenter, so as for "freedom of speech" perhaps he deserves what he gets. One suspects if he knew the consequences he never would have published the extract from Rueters. Having said that, it will be a pity to lose the website.

[bamukloy]

Time to leave, mate.

Looks like quite a few journos may be leaving after the report just published by Reporters without Borders.

It's only going to get worse

my thinking is if you truelly want to be a reporter without borders, then you are free to get out and go report Thailand news from Australia. At least there you wont get jailed.

Thailand doesnt need these moron shltstirrers "reporting" in the same style as they do in Australia.

Same goes with that idiot with the BBC years ago, sitting behind the red barracades defending the poor downtrodden while they tried to burn down Bangkok

Edited November 15, 2015 by bamukloy

[lavender19]

Time to leave, mate.

Looks like quite a few journos may be leaving after the report just published by Reporters without Borders.

It's only going to get worse

my thinking is if you truelly want to be a reporter without borders, then you are free to get out and go report Thailand news from Australia. At least there you wont get jailed.

Thailand doesnt need these moron shltstirrers "reporting" in the same style as they do in Australia.

Same goes with that idiot with the BBC years ago, sitting behind the red barracades defending the poor downtrodden while they tried to burn down Bangkok

Did you read the report?

[jesimps]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

In a democratic society, yes. Then it's up to the people to make a judgement on whether or not to believe what's written. If defamation's involved, then the slighted party takes the paper to court where a verdict is delivered. Like here, where the court threw the navy's case out.

Also in a democratic society, when the appeal period ran out, that'd be the end of it.

[waldroj]

Despite what some TV posters seem to be suggesting, the general consensus among legal, journalist, and human rights groups favours the journalists. Just a few of the links for your interest:

From the International Commission of Jurists (dated 9 July 2015):

http://www.icj.org/thailand-end-prosecution-of-phuketwan-journalists-for-reporting-on-rohingya-trafficking-crisis/

From Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (dated 10 July 2015):

http://www.lrwc.org/thailand-phuket-journalists-ms-chutima-sidasathian-and-mr-alan-morison-prosecuted-for-criminal-defamation-for-reporting-on-human-trafficking-of-rohingya-and-other-migrants/

From Reporters Without Borders (dated 16 July 2015):

http://en.rsf.org/thailand-prosecutors-skip-last-two-days-of-16-07-2015,48113.html

From The International Federation of Journalists (dated 1 September 2015):

http://www.ifj.org/nc/news-single-view/backpid/33/article/journalists-acquitted-in-key-thai-criminal-defamation-case/

As for the Thai military’s involvement in the smuggling of Rohingya Muslim and Bangladeshi migrants through southern Thailand? Well, as of 22 September 2015, media sources were reporting "four military officers are among a large number of people so far arrested - three from the army (including Lieutenant-General Manas Kongpan), and Naval Commander Kampanart Sangtonggeen".

Hope this helps the discussion.

[oldsailor35]

He needs to pack up and move to Cambodia and then "tear the crap" out of the Thai system.

[stevenl]

Despite what some TV posters seem to be suggesting, the general consensus among legal, journalist, and human rights groups favours the journalists. Just a few of the links for your interest:

From the International Commission of Jurists (dated 9 July 2015):

http://www.icj.org/thailand-end-prosecution-of-phuketwan-journalists-for-reporting-on-rohingya-trafficking-crisis/

From Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (dated 10 July 2015):

http://www.lrwc.org/thailand-phuket-journalists-ms-chutima-sidasathian-and-mr-alan-morison-prosecuted-for-criminal-defamation-for-reporting-on-human-trafficking-of-rohingya-and-other-migrants/

From Reporters Without Borders (dated 16 July 2015):

http://en.rsf.org/thailand-prosecutors-skip-last-two-days-of-16-07-2015,48113.html

From The International Federation of Journalists (dated 1 September 2015):

http://www.ifj.org/nc/news-single-view/backpid/33/article/journalists-acquitted-in-key-thai-criminal-defamation-case/

As for the Thai military’s involvement in the smuggling of Rohingya Muslim and Bangladeshi migrants through southern Thailand? Well, as of 22 September 2015, media sources were reporting "four military officers are among a large number of people so far arrested - three from the army (including Lieutenant-General Manas Kongpan), and Naval Commander Kampanart Sangtonggeen".

Hope this helps the discussion.

If you would have read discussions here, you would have seen that (nearly) everybody supports him in his legal battle, but that many don't appreciate his persona.

[NeverSure]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

They are free to write and you are free to not read it. Do you not understand freedom? Do you really want so much government intrusion in your life? Does everyone really need a babysitter?

Cheers.

Edit. Do you not understand that every time a government meets and passes a new law you lose a freedom?

Edited November 15, 2015 by NeverSure

[Lex Talionis]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

They are free to write and you are free to not read it. Do you not understand freedom? Do you really want so much government intrusion in your life? Does everyone really need a babysitter?

Cheers.

Edit. Do you not understand that every time a government meets and passes a new law you lose a freedom?

Right on the money.

Not to mention the fact that in a true democracy one cannot "defame" the Armed Forces. The government must always be subject to the scrutiny of the press. Period. Otherwise you are a "democracy" in name only.

[jalansanitwong]

The luckiest man alive is the aussie journalist who wrote a book about the Royal family and was naturally arrested and incarcerated on his next trip to LOS.

He was howling and sobbing in prison awaiting the dreaded return of a certain individual on R&R in Germany.

Luckily for the aussie the embassy got him out before Commodus flew in on swift wings.

[thaiturkey]

TYPICAL

This is yet another example of the despicable conduct of Thai Lawyers, bending the law.

I am also suffering the attention of a vindictive crooked lawyer trying to extort large sums of money with false criminal accusations. This scum lost his license over twenty years ago. His colleagues turn a blind eye to his ILLEGAL activities, and protect him. They are mafia!

[TPI]

Maaate! Time to go, you're dealing with the guys reputed to be the worlds greatest and most efficient "copy disc" operators! Cut your losses.....defend from Oz!

[FBlue72]

Lex Talionis, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:32, said:

Somtamnication, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:05, said:

Time to leave, mate.

Sure. Freedom of the press be damned. Just stick your tail between your legs and head on back down under.

When someone say freedom of the press, do they mean the press can wright what ever they

like and with, which they do on many occasions,,, most articles in nowadays news papers

are mostly rubbish, half truth or very askew truth to suite the publisher or a group of power

full people, nowadays new papers are nothing but a empty rhetoric and one sided opinions,

again, depend on the whims of the editor and the newspaper owner, so the ' freedom

of the press' while sound good, in practice worth nothing.....

This particular "editor" has, on numerous occasions, altered readers comments, to suit his own agenda, then has the cheek to critise the commenter, so as for "freedom of speech" perhaps he deserves what he gets. One suspects if he knew the consequences he never would have published the extract from Rueters. Having said that, it will be a pity to lose the website.

It wasn't the republishing of it that did Morison (and Chutima ) in, it was not crediting Reuters for the story (until later when it was added- after SHTF ) That's why Reuters left them hang out to dry, and rightfully so but unfortunate for Chutima, who did contribute a lot to the Reuters story. Will she ever realize Morison's ego cost her shared credit of a Pulitzer?