BBC to fight for correspondent Jonathan Head's freedom in Thailand

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The rich and the powerful will always have ways to silence their accusers, no matter what country.  It's just easier in some.  

 

There are hundreds (thousands?) of nuisance lawsuits filed by big corporations every year in the USA just to keep people quiet, for fear of being bankrupted.  Tobacco, Big Pharma and Monsanto come to mind immediately.

 

And Snowden and Head have a lot more in common than you're allowing.  The biggest difference is that one of them fled because he was up against a life bundled away into black jails with no chance of a fair trial.  The other one is up against comedy theater with half a dozen (or more) exit opportunities before he faces any real punishment.

But in the US, you don't go to jail for exposing things like cigarettes are bad for you.  Here, it might land you in jail.

 

Zero comparison between Snowden.  That's off topic, but no comparison.  It's a slam on what Mr. Head is trying to do.  Legally.

[DaveE13]

8 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

oh well doesn't look like May will get that free trade deal then^

She will be OK.  Her new best pal trump will get an honoury knighthood from Queenie. Sorted!

[LannaGuy]

1 hour ago, lucky11 said:

What a ridiculous statement!!

but true

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

But in the US, you don't go to jail for exposing things like cigarettes are bad for you.  Here, it might land you in jail.

 

Zero comparison between Snowden.  That's off topic, but no comparison.  It's a slam on what Mr. Head is trying to do.  Legally.

 

If defamation was legal in Thailand, there wouldn't be a case, would there?  I'm not saying that's a good law, or that the truth and accuracy of a claim shouldn't be a defense against defamation (it is back home, it isn't in Thailand).  And I don't think defamation should be a criminal matter- it should be a civil matter like back home.  But I'm not back home.  He is breaking Thai criminal law, designed to protect the elite in this country.  

 

Kind of like the USA is going after whistleblowers with a vengeance back home- based on laws designed to protect those in power- but all dolled up to look like national security.

Edited February 26, 2017 by impulse

[champers]

5 minutes ago, DaveE13 said:

She will be OK.  Her new best pal trump will get an honoury knighthood from Queenie. Sorted!

Codswallop, I respectfully suggest.

[LannaGuy]

39 minutes ago, sandgroper2 said:

You need educating in Thai law. There is no crime in exposing corruption and injustice. If in doing so, you defame someone, they can sue you. So no, it was not an appalling post, you need to know your facts before running off at the mouth, with all due respect.

you are clueless my friend it is a criminal act here not civil as in most countries and HERE you can say the truth and still be sued so you need to go back to school and educate yourself just a tad (with all due respect) 

[tukkytuktuk]

Well, I for one think Jonathan should pay off the lawyer to drop all charges and retire gracefully back in dear old Blighty.

Otherwise he's going to cost the BBC not only a small fortune in legal costs, the embarrisment of finally kow towing Thais, bad publicity and possible ban for the BBC in Thailand. And so on...

No stay with your first name Jonathan don't change it to Richard.

[chrisyork]

20 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

This isn't about Ian Rance and his wife getting a lawyer to sign over his half of the house to her.

This is about a way up high figure in Thai society that wants to make an example of a high up foreign journalist.

The BBC is getting involved which could bring in to play the governments also getting involved. But judging by the PM of Thailands foreign relations with western powers recently. I don't think he gives a flying duck.

No time for Johnny to get out or do a deal behind closed doors and save poor old little Britainers the embarrisment.

I'm sure this is right.

AND the colatoral of making public - and thereby stopping - the corruption of many on Phuket may well be equally desirable.

[LannaGuy]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Defamation is a criminal offense in Thailand. Not just civil.Once a complaint is lodged the police follow it up.

and that is absurd it's just a control mechanism to keep the Thai people's, and everyone else, from questioning

[Jai Dee]

A couple of off-topic posts have been removed from this thread.

 

The subject is defamation laws in Thailand, not whistleblowers in the USA.

[off road pat]

2 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

Well, I for one think Jonathan should pay off the lawyer to drop all charges and retire gracefully back in dear old Blighty.

Otherwise he's going to cost the BBC not only a small fortune in legal costs, the embarrisment of finally kow towing Thais, bad publicity and possible ban for the BBC in Thailand. And so on...

No stay with your first name Jonathan don't change it to Richard.

Are you kidding ??? The BBC can cost Thailand hundreds of millions in lost tourism spending....If they run a few negative reports on a regular basis......The BBC is watched world wide,...so if they block them in Thailand there's always the rest of the world !!!

[chrisyork]

2 minutes ago, off road pat said:

Are you kidding ??? The BBC can cost Thailand hundreds of millions in lost tourism spending....If they run a few negative reports on a regular basis......The BBC is watched world wide,...so if they block them in Thailand there's always the rest of the world !!!

Thailand's tourism industry counts for, at most, 10% of GDP. Let's keep the importance of western visitors in perspective......

[tukkytuktuk]

I'm sure this is right.

AND the colatoral of making public - and thereby stopping - the corruption of many on Phuket may well be equally desirable.

Maybe Thai's want him to leave so the corruption on Phuket isn't out in the public domain.

One thing's for sure. Both sides if this goes to court are ready for a big showdown. An international courtcase that will fill a few columns up in the worlds newspapers. But will it really do any damage to Thailand?

Will it really stop the corruption? Or will it just anger Thai's. Another reason for a rise in xenophobia.

[off road pat]

1 minute ago, chrisyork said:

Thailand's tourism industry counts for, at most, 10% of GDP. Let's keep the importance of western visitors in perspective......

Don't know if this is right, but it's still hundreds of millions in any currency !!!!

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourists-nationalities-Thailand.asp

[Asiantravel]

6 hours ago, Ricardo said:

Long overdue for the BBC to support their reporter, in this particular instance, but perhaps it might be wise for JH to relocate to another country/area while it all plays out ?

 erm.........he can't leave the country now until the case is over because his journalist Visa and work permit has been substituted with a court Visa just like the two poor British guys who are the victims of the story he was covering and who were scammed out of about £2 million each

[tukkytuktuk]

Are you kidding ??? The BBC can cost Thailand hundreds of millions in lost tourism spending....If they run a few negative reports on a regular basis......The BBC is watched world wide,...so if they block them in Thailand there's always the rest of the world !!!

"Thailand is no good, they don't like Jonathan, don't go BBC viewers"

"Aww, I was looking forward to that 2 week holiday in Pattaya. But now that I know poor old Jonathan is up the creek without a paddle, I'm gunner cancel it"

Millions of people, 555

[tukkytuktuk]

 erm.........he can't leave the country now until the case is over because his journalist Visa and work permit has been substituted with a court Visa just like the two poor British guys who are the victims of the story he was covering and who were scammed out of about £2 million each

Anyone with a bit of money can leave the country.
Wink, wink, nudge, nudge

[farcanell]

BBC.... we have full confidence in the Thai justice system...

 

are they crazy???

 

I hope they continue to support him if he's locked away.

[Thingamabob]

The BBC will not help him I'm afraid. Pathetic outfit these days, surviving on false, unaudited, vastly inflated claims of viewing/listening numbers.

[Mook23]

5 hours ago, fruitman said:

The BBC will get help from all their friends in other countries and it will be all over the newspapers for many months in row.

 

Thailand will not look good and many tourists will book their holidays elsewhere.

 

If that's what they want......

Nah. Tourists and in general most people don't give a flying xxxx about some stranger being affected by some strange country with a strange government.... tourists want sun sea sex and pad thai. All the rest is nonevent.

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

in the Australian news but can't find it on the BBC

I wrote to them on [email protected],uk asking why they weren't reporting it

[brewsterbudgen]

Why should they help him - if he didn't write biased and false news then he wouldn't be in this predicament!!

What rubbish. This case has nothing to do with the, misguided, perception of Jonathan's bias, or false news.

[brewsterbudgen]

His affection of the red shirts and views on lese majeste issues.

You don't have to like him but tell us all why his report was biased and false, you are obviously in the know

So his LM views are wrong??

[Lannig]

Just now, lucky11 said:

Journalists that work for the BBC are famed for their neutrality - JH does not even come close to fitting this description.

I'm sure you'd deal with this if he were singing the praises of the junta.

Anyway, I'm off this thread, won't take us anywhere.

[lucky11]

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

So his LM views are wrong??

 

Yes, they don't comply with the law of the land.

[williamgeorgeallen]

7 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

he doesn't have a passport^

if it was me i would find a crooked lawyer to bribe the judge or prosecutor or cop holding my passport to make bail and swim a river into lao or cambodia. dont matter if you are innocent in thailand.

[brewsterbudgen]

Yes, they don't comply with the law of the land.

True. But that has nothing to do with these charges and I challenge you to find an example of when Jonathan Head has personally breached this law. The BBC itself is not bound by Thai law. (However, as discussion of this topic is not allowed, perhaps you shouldn't which gives you a good excuse to not do so!).

[lucky11]

1 minute ago, brewsterbudgen said:

True. But that has nothing to do with these charges and I challenge you to find an example of when Jonathan Head has personally breached this law. The BBC itself is not bound by Thai law. (However, as discussion of this topic is not allowed, perhaps you shouldn't which gives you a good excuse to not do so!).

Didn't say he had - just answered someone's question directly.

 

[sandgroper2]

2 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

you are clueless my friend it is a criminal act here not civil as in most countries and HERE you can say the truth and still be sued so you need to go back to school and educate yourself just a tad (with all due respect) 

What did i say  that is civil and not criminal?? Where did i say  that you cant tell the truth and still be sued???  You have to get up  in the morning a lot earlier to get one over me.

[oobar]

6 hours ago, gdgbb said:

On the other hand, and more accurately, remember, foreigners can own property in Thailand, no matter how many times a day you meet someone who says that they can't.

Correct.  I own a 300 square meter house on two rai of land with a 30/60 year paid-up lease and Right of Superficies.