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

[Ricardo]

1 hour ago, humqdpf said:

I know that JH is a great reporter but it is going to be difficult for him to relocate to another jurisdiction, presumably one without extradition agreement with Thailand, without his passport. The court has already taken his passport and no doubt all airports and exit points from the Kingdom are notified just in case the British issue him with an emergency pass.

Sorry, I wasn't aware whenposting that it was already too late, clearly it might have been wise to leave sooner !

 

It seems nonsensical that, for a defamation-case which isn't criminal, the plaintiff has been able to persuade the court to take that action, especially where the journalist depends on freedom-of-movement within the region to do his job.

 

The defamation laws have long been a cause for embarrasment, one day there may be a government brave enough to change things, but not yet.

[Baerboxer]

2 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

Sorry, I wasn't aware whenposting that it was already too late, clearly it might have been wise to leave sooner !

 

It seems nonsensical that, for a defamation-case which isn't criminal, the plaintiff has been able to persuade the court to take that action, especially where the journalist depends on freedom-of-movement within the region to do his job.

 

The defamation laws have long been a cause for embarrasment, one day there may be a government brave enough to change things, but not yet.

 

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

[chrisyork]

13 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

The problem as I see it is the defamation and computer crime laws. 

 

Even if the person being defamed is guilty, obvious in this case, they will still win! Absurd! 

 

Also because he reported the truth he will be charged with computer crime due to the arse backwards defamation law.

 

The defamation law should only be applied if the defamed is innocent! Not the case here. 

Absolutely right from a Western perspective.

But remeber the other key criteria for a defamation defense to succeed......  The promolgation of the information has to have been <<in the interests of Thailand>>. 

If not, the Thai way of looking at this will be to see it as an unnecessary attempt to cause public loss of face. And be condemned on this ground alone.

Or worse, to see it as an attempt to belittle Thailand in the eyes of the international community......

The Thai approach to such things is NOT the same as the western.......

 

[Bannoi]

Give him a diplomatic passport I'm sure the BBC could arrange it. Perhaps a temporary assignment to the British Embassy.

[tgeezer]

Why do some foreigners' interfere' with the Thais' way of life?
Because many have lived in Thailand for a good long time, have Thai families here, and work and pay taxes here .... and also are principled and brave human beings who believe in speaking out against injustice, wherever it occurs.

I compare people like that to Mohammedans in Luton, they believe just as strongly that they are right just as strongly as I know that they are wrong!


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[tukkytuktuk]

I've been on twitter for years now and have followed@pakhead for a while. As well as many other journos and expat bloggers.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/964119-mummy-when-i-grow-up-can-i-organize-a-coup/

I implyed that Richard Barrow, Jerome Taylor and Jonathan Head are anti junta red shirt followers.

And a few posters agreed with me.

Thanks yes those guys are known red supporters, point is that children's day and the army opening up their ranks for the kids has ben going on for a long time, long before the coup. Now its all of a sudden bad, while before they kept their mouth shut. Seems more a way of trying to score some points and have an anti junta rant at the same time.

[CGW]

1 hour ago, dageurreotype said:

Having said that, I doubt even this moronic junta would go so far as to imprison a member of the international press.

You have more faith in them than I, they have shot others in a similiar position!

56 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

He reported FAIRLY and the BBC is known for it

I would change "is" to was, in recent years they no longer command the respect they once did! ask Trump if you don't believe me

[lucky11]

Just now, Bannoi said:

Give him a diplomatic passport I'm sure the BBC could arrange it. Perhaps a temporary assignment to the British Embassy.

No!! let him face the Thai courts. 

[Bannoi]

3 minutes ago, lucky11 said:

No!! let him face the Thai courts. 

Kangaroos aren't just in Australia 

[lucky11]

1 minute ago, Bannoi said:

Kangaroos aren't just in Australia 

True, New Zealand and PNG.

[chrisyork]

1 minute ago, lucky11 said:

No!! let him face the Thai courts. 

What we can be quite certain of is that, once this is played out, no one in the UK will ever again buy property in Thailand......

I wonder whose interests that will serve......

It could be that it will serve the interests of a Thai elite getting to grips with reigning in corrupt practices on Phuket......... That has been garnering extensive coverage in Thai media, if not in western media. Such practices largely being Thai on Thai, but perhaps based on a supply of riches from the Islands western visitors and residents.....

Thailand has always instinctively been a closed society. Openess to the presence and ideas of westerners is based ONLY on profit and could readily be rolled back if the elite thought it was corrupting Thailand.....

[Bannoi]

1 minute ago, lucky11 said:

True, New Zealand and PNG.

[AGareth2]

2 minutes ago, lucky11 said:

True, New Zealand and PNG.

True?

New Zealand?

only in zoos

[AGareth2]

this case will only publicize the scam

[KenKadz]

The Only Question should be, "Did he say anything untrue"?

[sandgroper2]

1 hour ago, LannaGuy said:

appalling post there is NO crime in exposing corruption and injustice that's what great investigative journalists do  

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.

[tukkytuktuk]

No!! let him face the Thai courts. 

Let him face up to the fact that he is from Little Britain now. Not the Great British Empire it once was. He needs to do a little deal with the prosecuter and his client then return to England and get a job in an office in Slough.

[AGareth2]

Just now, tukkytuktuk said:

Let him face up to the fact that he is from Little Britain now. Not the Great British Empire it once was. He needs to do a little deal with the prosecuter and his client then return to England and get a job in an office in Slough.

is the BBC relocating?

[sandgroper2]

1 minute ago, KenKadz said:

The Only Question should be, "Did he say anything untrue"?

Should be, but, TIT,  so , no.

[DaveE13]

1 minute ago, tukkytuktuk said:

Let him face up to the fact that he is from Little Britain now. Not the Great British Empire it once was. He needs to do a little deal with the prosecuter and his client then return to England and get a job in an office in Slough.

Little Britain?  I used to like that comedy 

[chrisyork]

2 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

this case will only publicize the scam

My point exactly......

...and since the Thais also realise this. That implies the authorities are keen to see that scam ended.

[DaveE13]

Just now, chrisyork said:

My point exactly......

...and since the Thais also realise this. That implies the authorities are keen to see that scam ended.

The powers that be are after the corruption in phuket. According to what I've read so I agree fully 

[tukkytuktuk]

Little Britain?  I used to like that comedy 

The Office was my favourite with Ricky Gervais.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

What foreigner "buys property" in Thailand except as a gift for their spouse or an idiot? Were the pensioners actually scammed or just typical rubes/victims?


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[DaveE13]

1 minute ago, tukkytuktuk said:

The Office was my favourite with Ricky Gervais.

Absolutely class comedy

[craigt3365]

52 minutes ago, lucky11 said:

What, you mean like Snowden??

 

Snowden is a criminal on the run.  No comparing to Mr. Head.

[Xaos]

In Thailand truth is forbiden

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[tukkytuktuk]

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.

[AGareth2]

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

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Snowden is a criminal on the run.  No comparing to Mr. Head.

 

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.