Thai court rules British activist Andy Hall to face criminal defamation charges

[AlQaholic]

Uhhmmm....Why isn't the entire EU on trial in Thailand for Defamation and Crimes against the Computer act??? After all they made defamatory remarks regarding the Thai Fishing Industry.......

[NCC1701A]

facing seven years in prison.

would you have the balls to do that to help total strangers?

How hard would if be for the UK government to link Andy's treatment to a major trade deal.

He is a hostage. No different than if he was in Iran.

Release him or its no deal.

I have many UK friends, love the UK, been all over the UK, BUT, it seems to me they are losing their Mojo.

[AlQaholic]

Stupid thing for the govt. to do. 2016 is turning out to be the year of the idiots.

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill

Edited January 19, 2016 by AlQaholic

[OMGImInPattaya]

Most companies (outside of Thailand) in the real world would hastily try to "rectify and reassure" in the instance of an exposed negative situation. The follow up procedure would be to try and play down the negative exposure and bury it as soon as possible, keeping it away from the publics thoughts.

Ohhh no, not in Thailand they don't! Keeping the fruit thing going for years will do much more harm to the company than the initial exposure ever did. And they are doing it all by themselves, idiots!

Good luck to the straight speaking Mr Hall, he needs all the luck he can get.

They're still operating from their SOP playbook...harass, threaten, intimidate with hired thugs, sue, and if necessary just kill'me. This has always worked well towards their fellow Thais and with foreigners before the internet era. Now hopefully Anonymous will give them a lesson in how things work in the social network era.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Very glad I decided to leave this country: corrupted, rotten to the core.

I feel for Andy and fo who is trying to make this country a better one, but has to face the Powers outrage.

Sorry also for the poor souls who will not have a choice and must stay here.

Interesting you still follow a Thailand Internet forum, however. Just can't get it out of your system apparently ?

[elgordo38]

They are really baying for this guy's blood no matter what. I can only wish him good luck, he is sure going to need it...

He is trying to fight an uphill battle against a system that holds all the cards. Somewhere along the line something will "stick" to him. A great crusader none the less.

[chilli42]

Normally, A trial would be a good thing as it would expose and verify what he has been saying. However, Thailand being what it is the trial is unlikely to take place on a level playing field.

[elgordo38]

Stupid thing for the govt. to do. 2016 is turning out to be the year of the idiots.

Hang on to your hat brother the year has only started. They will be coming out of the woodwork this year. They are becoming more emboldened by the day. The 1% per cent ers now have more wealth than the rest of us put together. Laws are collapsing all over the place look at Flint Michigan. It will be a tumultuous year to say the least.

[elgordo38]

Some tHai authorities seem oblivious to the fact that this kind of trial is likely to do a lot more damage to Thailand's international reputation than anything alleged by Mr Hall.

One of the problems with being rich is you get a God complex and think you can play the part.

[Pompey50]

I wonder if any of those on Constitution drafting panel have considered that concept of "double jeopardy"? In filthy West, if found "not guilty", that's it, game over, better luck next time Mr. Prosecutor.

Not entirely true. In the US double Jeopardy laws are absolute as guaranteed under the 5th amendment, however a person can be tried by a state and by federal authorities for the same crime. This is the singular exception.

In the UK the double jeopardy laws where changed in the Criminal Justice act of 2003 (in force 2005) It opened certain serious crimes (including murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, and serious drug crimes) to a retrial, regardless of when committed, with two conditions: the retrial must be approved by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Court of Appeal must agree to quash the original acquittal due to "new and compelling evidence"

In many other country's around the world, they have similar legislation to the UK.

[Pompey50]

Talk about shooting themselves in the foot! This will not end well for Thailand! The EU are already looking at Thailand and a few years ago it lost it's developing nation status with the EU and may soon attract import tariffs like most other country's. At that point company's will switch suppliers anyway!

If the Thais do not think the EU, the UK and the rest of the world are not watching what is going on and that there will not be serious consequence for them, then they are mistaken.

[somo]

Stupid thing for the govt. to do. 2016 is turning out to be the year of the idiots.

2015 was a bit Ting Tong as well.

[newcomer71]

Very glad I decided to leave this country: corrupted, rotten to the core.

I feel for Andy and fo who is trying to make this country a better one, but has to face the Powers outrage.

Sorry also for the poor souls who will not have a choice and must stay here.

Interesting you still follow a Thailand Internet forum, however. Just can't get it out of your system apparently ?

Interesting for you I guess, is there anything wrong to follow and post my opinions on a forum which talks about my wife's country?

Enjoy Pattaya

[Pompey50]

Ban the exports into the EU. Forget right and wrong as 'Money' flow is the only thing Thais listen to and if thats impacted then and only then will they change there shonky business practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody have a list of that fruit company brands? Anybody know how to do one of those online petitions?

I can not find a list but Finnwach are on the case! They are keeping EU food company's appraised of what is going on. I suspect that there has already been a large decrease in fruit being bought by these company's

Here is a link to an article I found.

http://www.dw.com/en/european-food-companies-call-foul-over-thailand-fruit-company/a-17884637

[seajae]

hahahahaha, how dare he tell people the truth, he should realize by now that telling the truth in Thailand causes too mauch loss of face for those that are hiding behind these pathetic laws, The 15 year old was a total stuff up by the gold mine again because the 15 y/o told the truth and now this, way past time the laws were changed to stop this absolute bullsh*t approach, it would free the courts up to do real criminal charges instead of all these face saving commitals

[dageurreotype]

Ban the exports into the EU. Forget right and wrong as 'Money' flow is the only thing Thais listen to and if thats impacted then and only then will they change there shonky business practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody have a list of that fruit company brands? Anybody know how to do one of those online petitions?

I can not find a list but Finnwach are on the case! They are keeping EU food company's appraised of what is going on. I suspect that there has already been a large decrease in fruit being bought by these company's

Here is a link to an article I found.

http://www.dw.com/en/european-food-companies-call-foul-over-thailand-fruit-company/a-17884637

This 'Outraged report' was from two years ago, and still they do sweet sod all. Nothing's going to happen to impact their profits. When has it ever? Anyone?

[mrrizzla]

I wonder if he has received physical intimidation like that other fellow that pulled up the Chula professor that plagiarized his work.

[Scouse123]

Thailand and its out of control legal-judicial system can't stop shooting itself in the foot. They just can't seem to comprehend that in the internet era, such efforts to supress negative news of civil and human rights abuses redounds back to Thailand in a negative light.

They, those in the positions of power, are used to instilling fear and panic into working class Thais and bullying their way through the system.They do not like people standing up to them, challenging authority or in any way going against their version of the ' party line '

They are nothing more than local thugs and medieval warlords running the country for the benefit of the tiny minority of privileged position, upbringing and wealth, you only have to look at the rants the present prime minister goes on when he doesn't get his own way!

It's a disgusting feudal system. Andy Hall is going to be fed to the lions unless he does the same as Andrew Drummond and leave and get out of the place for good.

There are certain similarities in these two guys difficulties, both are in the business of truth, journalist/ activist, trying to seek out injustices and expose evil practices and have reported serious misgivings in Thailand and both have been faced with a barrage of lawsuits and serious threats to their well being.

The Thais know full well if they throw enough lawsuits, a journalist/activist will run out of the amount of bail monies to defend them, especially if you are dealing with multiple lawsuits and multiple sums of bail money tied up for years on end.

They are not going to allow him to win these cases, no matter what happens. He may win one or two, but eventually they will get him. It always happens in Thailand.

The EU, I hope, will not be such a pushover. They know what's going on and what went on. I really hope there are serious repercussions to this fruit company and that they lose a fortune. However, they will not see the error of their ways, it will be more anger in the direction of the weakest target in their sights, which happens to be Andy Hall, because of the cash they will be losing.

The Embassy will do the usual ' We don't comment on individual cases but we are aware a British national has been incarcerated and are offering consular assistance at this time ' which equates to a bag of oranges, some envelopes and stamps and a liberal sprinkling of tea and sympathy without the tea!

Edited January 19, 2016 by Scouse123

[Songlaw]

Ban the exports into the EU. Forget right and wrong as 'Money' flow is the only thing Thais listen to and if thats impacted then and only then will they change there shonky business practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody have a list of that fruit company brands? Anybody know how to do one of those online petitions?

No, but I would be more than happy to both sign and help circulate it.

[grumbleweed]

Ban the exports into the EU. Forget right and wrong as 'Money' flow is the only thing Thais listen to and if thats impacted then and only then will they change there shonky business practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody have a list of that fruit company brands? Anybody know how to do one of those online petitions?

No, but I would be more than happy to both sign and help circulate it.

Likewise, to not stand up against this is to support it

[EyesWideOpen]

Is Andy currently incarcerated ?? If not methinks it is time to beat feet

to avoid the corrupt legal system, and continue the battle to open up

people's eyes with investigative reporting .. Because if there is one

thing for sure right now, it is not a good time to be pointing out what

is wrong with Thailand........The bizarre concept of face here is a bit

like the emperor's new clothes story, it depends upon everyone

watching to keep their mouths shut. So people like Andy simply

cannot be tolerated..

[farcanell]

That's could be proved very damaging for Thai exporters. What if Western ONG pick up the case and start a boycott campaign against Thai goods which will cause millions of dollars of loss for companies selling these products. That's the kind of Damocles' sword foreign importers can do without.

Personally, if I were a foreign importer, I would be looking for new product sources sooner than later, perhaps locking in cheaper supply deals, before the rest of the world decides to ban Thai imports

Good luck mr hall...

[Alwyn]

He's not a silly man, I'm guessing he has a strategy to gain the most benefit for his crusade. I hope so anyway!

[Balance]

Defamation: the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny (dictionary.com)

Operative words: False or Unjustified. Under Thai law, does do the fruit people have to show that that what Mr. Hall said and wrote are not true? I am also not clear on what "Unjustified" means since it is not tied to any facts. OR does Mr. Hall have to prove that the allegations he made are true?

How does a private company bring "criminal" charges against anyone? In all of the countries with which I am familiar, criminal charges are exclusive purvue of government prosecutors.

But regardless of all of the legal stuff, is this really what the PM wants plastered all over the EU newspapers when they are getting ready to get in deeper with the fishing fiasco?

[retarius]

Do you think the government knows what damage this will do to them?

[Transporter]

Thailand has a long, long history of suppressing anybody working towards promoting the rule of law or the rights of ordinary people when this work angers the powerful, wealthy and untouchable business-political-state official nexus.

Tying the "do-gooder" up in legal cases (which make life very difficult in terms of work, time organisation, legal costs and sometimes, liberty) is a time-honoured way of achieving this.

The other way involves hitmen.

The victims of this suppression are overwhelmingly Thai citizens.

Yes, and the hitman only needs to be under 18 and there will be no charges.

[Norvid 1950]

I feel like we are talking/comments about a devil himself, but this is just Thai justice system and money. How low Thais authorities can get nobody knows. Good luck Andy. I hope the whole world stands behind you.

[peteralex]

Ban the exports into the EU. Forget right and wrong as 'Money' flow is the only thing Thais listen to and if thats impacted then and only then will they change there shonky business practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody have a list of that fruit company brands? Anybody know how to do one of those online petitions?

Hi,

contact [email protected] for info how to do an online petition. I myself signed the petition against Thai goverment's attempt of introducing a single internet gate. CHANGE.ORG initiated, published, collecting and submitting the signatures to whom it concerened. Obviously successful, Thai government dropped the project.

[bark]

Indonesia, not known for its good governance, has just demoted the former Bali police chief for his role in extorting money from some Australian holiday makers. His punishment also included being forced to stand for two hours in the blazing sun, amongst other humiliations.

I don't know if returning his cut of the bribe was part of the humiliations, mind you.

The government apparently took action when what had happened was publicised in Australia in all its unsavoury detail, and the embassy became aware of the backlash in Australian social media.

I guess that might be the difference between how Indonesia deals with miscreants compared to Thailand. If someone does something to make the country lose face, the government will - when it suits - actually take corrective action at the root of the problem.

I'm not sure all that much has changed (all the thug policemen involved have apparently kept their jobs), but it reads well in the Australian press, and gives the impression that this is a government which is outward looking and concerned - and doing something - about corruption.

The Thai response in just about every case seems to be to protect the root cause of the problem, and go after those who make the world aware of it. As a problem solving method it's hardly a recipe for long term success.

You cannot compare the two cases. Andy Hall knows that by getting involved; it could and has come back against him. The Aussie's were getting extorted for cash. If Andy Hall keeps his mouth shut; and stays here to work, party, vacation, etc. He is left alone. His cause is noble; but he could go to jail for it. And will anyone on Thai Visa stand up for him ??? Silence........

[jsgatse]

From my (now) full-time cut and paste (since it seems to be needed daily):

Shame on Thailand! Karma's gonna eventually get you (let's hope!) one way or the other!