BBC journalist faces five years jail for Thailand reporting

[Squeegee]

Ah, filthy Thailand and it's lack of honour and dignity again.

[mark131v]

2 hours ago, Squeegee said:

Ah, filthy Thailand and it's lack of honour and dignity again.

That would certainly appear to be the situation, unfortunately one is judged on their behaviour and LoS hierachy is seriously lacking in both.....

[jayboy]

 
I only read the BBC online news and I don't watch TV. Jonathon Head is biased on the side of Thaksin.
 
I used to read his reports about Isaan and the UDD and the interviews that he did but I don't remember any that he did with the Democrats even for a balanced report.
 
I may have missed them in which case I am sorry but that is the way I see his reporting and there wasn't a lot of that either.

Nonsense.Fanatics on the yellow side have for years vilified Jonathan Head or indeed anyone else who pointed out some home truths about Thailand's power structure.The usual "in the pay of Thaksin" lies often cropped up.Head is an excellent journalist and the lies about him should be ignored.


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[Estrada]

9 hours ago, Psimbo said:

3 guesses!

1. You worked in a boiler room? 2. You ran a boiler room? 3. You owned a boiler room?

[phantomfiddler]

From what I have observed, BBC have been noticeably very poor in their interpretation of political events in Thailand, while Andy Drummond mainly focused on expat con-men operating in Thailand, and was an excellent reporter. Unfair to compare his work to that of the BBC reporters.

[Sakeopete]

16 hours ago, Chip Allen said:

Time for so-called "diplomats" to get medieval on Thai government officials. It's gone far enough. Defamation, Lese Majeste etc. Non-Thai residents should be immune from prosecution under these insane statutes.

Foreign governments couldn't care less about Thailand. It has little strategic interest, little hydrocarbons and a lackluster economy that is being replaced by its neighbors. 

[Briggsy]

4 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

From what I have observed, BBC have been noticeably very poor in their interpretation of political events in Thailand, while Andy Drummond mainly focused on expat con-men operating in Thailand, and was an excellent reporter. Unfair to compare his work to that of the BBC reporters.

Perhaps you could give some examples of "very poor in their interpretation of political events in Thailand".
 

I find Jonathan Head to be highly experienced and non-sensational. He is producing reports for a global audience many of whom have little knowledge of Thailand. He has to paint a big picture with no inaccuracies and yet provide clarity for the reader / listener and do it using concepts Western readers will understand despite the mendacity and opacity of Thai administrations. He plies his trade with skill.

 

This is harrassment of the international press which will backfire although Jonathan Head will be greatly inconvenienced.

[brewsterbudgen]

 
I only read the BBC online news and I don't watch TV. Jonathon Head is biased on the side of Thaksin.
 
I used to read his reports about Isaan and the UDD and the interviews that he did but I don't remember any that he did with the Democrats even for a balanced report.
 
I may have missed them in which case I am sorry but that is the way I see his reporting and there wasn't a lot of that either.

From what I have observed, BBC have been noticeably very poor in their interpretation of political events in Thailand, while Andy Drummond mainly focused on expat con-men operating in Thailand, and was an excellent reporter. Unfair to compare his work to that of the BBC reporters.

Not that it's at all relevant to this case, but exactly why do you think the BBC's reporting and Mr Head in particular has been "poor". Because it doesn't reflect your own views?

[JustNo]

16 hours ago, tukkytuktuk said:

Andrew Drummond amateur journalist with website and twitter account, nothing like Jonathan Head from the world renowned BBC. I shouldn't worry it will be a repeat of the Andy Hall trial. If found guilty a suspended sentence and a fine.

It may very well go that way, but to be in his position and have the real chance of spending 5 years in a Thai prison is something nobody can simply brush off. That is the stuff nightmares are made of

[Jonmarleesco]

16 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And this is exactly how a bunch of shysters managed to get rid of Andrew Drummond.

They piled numerous spurious complaints against him, becasue he was revealing who these con men were, and what they were doing.

Each rubbish complaint required hundres of thousands of baht in bail, and they kept doing it until he ran out of money and had to leave to stay out of jail.

The BBC is known for its impartiality and accurate, well researched journalism.

Thieves do not like being brought into the spotlight, and this is simply an attempt to shut Jonathan up, so they can continue to screw people over.

I agree that Thailands laws on defamation and Computer crimes are utterly absurd and really only benefit, in their current form, predominantly those the laws are supposed to protect the innocent public from.

'The BBC is known for its impartiality and accurate, well researched journalism.' Not the BBC with which I'm familiar. But that is as an aside to the case in question, which is serving as yet another demonstration of the difference between the recognised definition of defamation, and Thailand's version.

[Briggsy]

1 minute ago, JustNo said:

It may very well go that way, but to be in his position and have the real chance of spending 5 years in a Thai prison is something nobody can simply brush off. That is the stuff nightmares are made of

Indeed, and to add to that not being able to leave Thailand for, potentially, years. Each time he wishes to leave Thailand he has to apply for permission from the court.

 

He is being greatly inconvenienced and tied up in legal red tape.

[mikebell]

Such laws are mediaeval and serve only to cement Thailand's place in the lower echelons of civilised countries.  Why nobody in Government can see this is mystifying; ditto house ownership; police corruption; traffic mayhem.

[jayboy]

Foreign governments couldn't care less about Thailand. It has little strategic interest, little hydrocarbons and a lackluster economy that is being replaced by its neighbors. 

This is very true and surprisingly little commented on.Despite its dreadful series of governments culminating in the current worst of all, Thailand isn't actually killing citizens and isn't stirring up shit internationally.It won't therefore be disturbed by the major powers which have much bigger worries and subject to the caveats above the military government can do what it likes.Change is therefore up to the Thai people but I don't see the outrage or moral integrity of the 1970's.


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[brewsterbudgen]

This is very true and surprisingly little commented on.Despite its dreadful series of governments culminating in the current worst of all, Thailand isn't actually killing citizens and isn't stirring up shit internationally.It won't therefore be disturbed by the major powers which have much bigger worries and subject to the caveats above the military government can do what it likes.Change is therefore up to the Thai people but I don't see the outrage or moral integrity of the 1970's.

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I generally agree, although your second sentence is only partly true.

[tukkytuktuk]

It says in several news reports that Jonathan Head appeared alongside Ian Rance in a Phuket courtroom yesterday. Why can I not find one single photo of them going in or coming out of the court house? Is there a tunnel into the court house?

[yardrunner]

14 hours ago, the guest said:

I think if they jail him it will send a very clear message to foreigners not to get involved with Thais or their politics.

So perhaps now is the time for the foreign office to update their travel information for Thailand, dont speak dont have any opinion and find another destination

[captspectre]

what on earth did he come back to thailand and go to court? it is a well known fact that thailand ? he must have know how this was going to come out! never NEVER go into business with a Thai! it is a guaranteed loser and you will lose all your money and maybe your life! 

[Becker]

The story is covered in today's Bangkok Post.

[TKDfella]

Just goes to show how truth and life are respected the 'upper class with lost of money'. Disgraceful!

[metisdead]

If you're going to post in a profane nature, your post will be removed:

 

8) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.
 

[JAG]

I think if they jail him it will send a very clear message to foreigners not to get involved with Thais or their politics.

I think that if they jail him it will send a very clear message to the rest of the world.

At the moment the rest of the world doesn't really care too much. Jailing the staff correspondent of a major international broadcaster on such obviously trumped up charges may just change that.

Loss of face on the international stage - absolutely massive and irretrievable.

[Geoffggi]

18 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And this is exactly how a bunch of shysters managed to get rid of Andrew Drummond.

They piled numerous spurious complaints against him, becasue he was revealing who these con men were, and what they were doing.

Each rubbish complaint required hundres of thousands of baht in bail, and they kept doing it until he ran out of money and had to leave to stay out of jail.

The BBC is known for its impartiality and accurate, well researched journalism.

Thieves do not like being brought into the spotlight, and this is simply an attempt to shut Jonathan up, so they can continue to screw people over.

I agree that Thailands laws on defamation and Computer crimes are utterly absurd and really only benefit, in their current form, predominantly those the laws are supposed to protect the innocent public from.

Totally agree with the above statement the one fact the BBC reporter forgot was the TRUTH HURTS plus causes loss of face!!!!

[marcher]

18 hours ago, Oceanbat said:

This country is a joke.

OB

I would not have said this is funny

[humqdpf]

The real problem here is that libel is treated as a criminal matter in Thailand whereas in other jurisdictions it is treated as a civil matter.

 

Treating libel as a criminal matter means that any Thai can make a report of alleged libel and let the state do the work for them without having to put their hand in their own pocket. As the libel law is so liberal, the complainant has a very good chance of winning even when what the libel is about is in the public interest and involves criminal activity (in this case alleged fraud by the complainant).

 

Make libel a civil matter under the law and you get rid of this nonsense. But there will be those who argue that there are certain interests who definitely do not want to see an end to such a weapon against journalists and others working in the public interest.

[Ace of Pop]

BBC is a left wing rag Radio Moscow ,Blairs Bugle


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[JAG]

BBC is a left wing rag Radio Moscow ,Blairs Bugle


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Umh, Tony Blair has been "gone" for quite a while now...

[Dustdevil]

This is worse than Malaysia with the criminal defamation suits. Most of Asia is like this. BTW, Italy and Sweden also have criminal libel/slander laws. Not sure about the rest of Europe. In the U.S., libel/slander suits are, of course, civil, not criminal, and the plaintiff must prove the defendant willfully lied and that the plaintiff suffered damage to reputation. As for the UK, correct me but I'm wrong, but I got the impression they've reformed it, because until recently a defamation defendant had to prove he/she did NOT commit defamation--in other words, guilty until proven innocent.   This reveals the the need already expressed by some British journalists for a First Amendment. In "Denial," (nonfiction book and film) the defendant, a legitimate scholar, must prove that the Holocaust did in fact occur simply because a lying Holocaust denier files a lawsuit. In the events depicted, all discovery and trial data involved only Auschwitz. Plaintiff David Irving claims there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz, for example. Throughout the courtroom drama I kept wondering: why were all the Allied films of intact incinerators and emaciated survivors at other concentration camps, and tons of bodies that had to be buried with bulldozers, ignored? And the fact that the Germans kept meticulous records? And that Himmler's orders were in plain sight elsewhere? 

[tukkytuktuk]

Andy Hall left Thailand last year saying it was a blow for human rights in Thailand because he could no longer help the migrant workers. Jonathan head's case might be a similar situation due to his pro Yingluck attitude and bias when reporting. I guess maybe other more recent reports made by Jonathan haven't helped either.

But rather than run and hide he had chosen to fight these allegations. I cannot see Jonathan receive a jail sentence. This would be world news and damage Thai-UK relations.

[louse1953]

No loss there,hopeless reporter.

[JayBird]

I truly liked his reporting. Followed him closely during the recent coup. He was very fact oriented and impartial.

 

So odd that the government would go against him given his reporting did nothing bad against the military during the coup.