Sondhi gets one year sentence for defaming former finance minister Pridiyathorn

[webfact]

VIDEO : Sondhi gets one year sentence for defaming MR Pridiyathorn



BANGKOK: -- Former leader of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) Sondhi Limthongkul was today sentenced by the Supreme Court to one year in prison after finding him guilty of defaming the former finance minister in 2007.

However his one year jail sentence was suspended for two years after the court reasoned he had no personal grudge against the former finance in criticising his performance of duties during a TV programme on January 12, 2007.

The Supreme Court’s ruling today was seen to uphold earlier ruling by the Appeals Court that sentenced him one year in prison for the offence, but the jail sentence was suspended for two years. The court also fined him 30,000 baht.

At the final hearing today Sondhi appeared before the trial at the Criminal Court’s courtroom.

The Supreme Court also ordered Sondhi to publish the verdict in brief in three newspapers for three consecutive at his expenses.

Sondhi was charged by MR Pridiyathorn after the media tycoon criticised him of making legal clearance for politicians to legalise two-digit number lottery draw and help in the ownership transfer of Shinawatra shares with no taxation.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/video-sondhi-gets-one-year-sentence-for-defaming-mr-pridiyathorn


-- Thai PBS 2015-12-02

[h90]

I think there are many things Sondhi is guilty, but for defaming a politician....that is not fair.

[thesetat2013]

Why bother to give him a year if they knew that they would suspend it.

[Mango Bob]

You think with all the court cases he lose and have suspended sentences and those he is appealing now, that he should be behind bars.

[Hawk]

You think with all the court cases he lose and have suspended sentences and those he is appealing now, that he should be behind bars.

He's yellow and has elite protection.

[ParadiseLost]

One can see the day when they are all in jail for defamation, every last one of them. Maybe then they will realize the stupidity of these laws.

Monty Python would have loved this in their day, it rivals some of their most famous comedy genius:

I find the defendant guilty, but he didn't really mean it so no jail time then. Case closed.

What do you mean, you did mean it? Are you mad?

Ah, only joking then, next case...

[billd766]

You think with all the court cases he lose and have suspended sentences and those he is appealing now, that he should be behind bars.

There are a lot of "important" people in Thailand suffering from the same problem of suspended sentences on all sides of the political arena.

As I see it the authorities should either

1 give them all an amnesty on the proviso then if (and when) they come before the courts again there will be no suspended sentences, go straight to jail and NO get out of jail free cards.

2 No amnesty from 1at January 2016 and then will be no suspended sentences, go straight to jail and NO get out of jail free cards.

The problem with option 2 is that there is not enough room in jail for all of them.

[Pib]

Why bother to give him a year if they knew that they would suspend it.

It's the Thai version of tough love.

[bangon04]

" sentenced him one year in prison for the offence, but the jail sentence was suspended for two years. The court also fined him 30,000 baht."

Wow that will teach him a lesson.....

[sead]

Guess after they going to implement/enforce the new law this is another one that cant be a pm in future. This is going to be interesting to watch where its going

[kimamey]

You think with all the court cases he lose and have suspended sentences and those he is appealing now, that he should be behind bars.

There are a lot of "important" people in Thailand suffering from the same problem of suspended sentences on all sides of the political arena.

As I see it the authorities should either

1 give them all an amnesty on the proviso then if (and when) they come before the courts again there will be no suspended sentences, go straight to jail and NO get out of jail free cards.

2 No amnesty from 1at January 2016 and then will be no suspended sentences, go straight to jail and NO get out of jail free cards.

The problem with option 2 is that there is not enough room in jail for all of them.

No 1 is a fairly good description of what a suspended sentence is.

[webfact]

Court upholds Sondhi's sentence
KESINEE TAENGKHIAO
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE SUPREME Court yesterday upheld a lower court's decision to sentence Sondhi Limthongkul to a two-year suspended sentence in a libel suit filed by former deputy PM and central bank governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.

The former Bank of Thailand governor is suing Sondhi for saying in ASTV's Weekly Thailand show that the plaintiff had "whitewashed" the old power by allowing the operation of the two- and three-digit lottery. Sondhi had also accused Pridiyathorn of helping former Revenue Department director-general Sirot Sawatpanit avoid checking on the sale of Shin Corp shares via Ample Rich to Temasek Holdings and opening the door to tax evasion in relation to the share sale.

The Criminal Court had earlier sentenced Sondhi to two years in jail in the lawsuit, and after an appeal, the Court of Appeals reduced the sentence to one year in jail and a Bt30,000 fine.

The court then commuted it to two years suspended sentence on grounds that the defendant had honestly carried out his duty as a member of the media to check on the government and protect the country's interests. The court said Sondhi deserved support to continue carrying out his duty.

The Supreme Court ruled that though Sondhi had done his job as a member of the media, he should check what he says in public, as his statement could be deemed defamatory and not honest criticism.

The court upheld the two-year suspended sentence and fined him Bt30,000. The defendant was also ordered to advertise the ruling in a daily newspaper for three consecutive days.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Court-upholds-Sondhis-sentence-30274214.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-03