Thaksin defamation case against Sondhi dismissed

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Thaksin suit against Sondhi dismissed

Published: 28 Feb 2013 at 15.24
Online news: Local News

The Min Buri Court on Thursday dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra against People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul and five other people for issuing a statement pointing out the shortcomings of his government.

Sondhi Limthongkul, left, and Thaksin Shinawatra, (Photos by Pattarachai Preechapanich and Pattanapong Hirunard)

According to the lawsuit, the six defendants on March 28, 2008 issued a statement criticising the then government of Samak Sundaravej for planning to amend Sections 237 of the 2007 constitution to prevent the People Power Party from being dissolved for electoral fraud and Section 309 to clear all graft accusations made against Thaksin by the Assets Scrutiny Committee, appointed by military after the Sept 19, 2006 coup.

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whatajoke
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Discussion 8 : 01 Mar 2013 at 07.298
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D5: Note! You are comparing criminal charges of fraud at the highest level of government to civil charges maliciously laid to silence criticism. Thailand has some of the toughest libel laws in the world, but some of the weakest enforced graft laws. Big politicians thwart very serious charges of grand larceny, political commentators/press get sued into insolvency for pointing out the obvious. Next, we will have Thaksin doing his usual and suing BP for comments suggesting he is running the country. Get a grip.
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ricefield
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Discussion 7 : 01 Mar 2013 at 03.307
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Disc 6 - How true it is. A couple of notable quotes from Joseph Goebbels come to mind,

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”

“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”
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canuck
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Discussion 6 : 01 Mar 2013 at 00.586
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" and pointed out alleged mistakes and shortcomings"

So they don't even have to be true? That is defamation isn't it? If you tell a lie enough times it becomes the truth...Right.
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ricefield
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Discussion 5 : 01 Mar 2013 at 00.255
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With jail sentences of almost 90 years in defamation cases against Sondhi, one could conclude the court got it wrong quite easily. BTW, that's 2 years jail against Thaksin, 87 years against Sonthi - Neither will likely serve a single day.

The System is broke.
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howell
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Discussion 4 : 28 Feb 2013 at 21.404
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'...issued a statement criticising the then government of Samak/Thaksin for planning to amend Sections 237 of the 2007 constitution to prevent the PPP from being dissolved for electoral fraud and Section 309 to clear all graft accusations made against Thaksin....'

Thaksin hates democracy and the rule of law. Thank goodness he was overthrown.
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djay
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Discussion 3 : 28 Feb 2013 at 16.513
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So let me get this straight. You can criticise the government, but in doing so you may be sued for defamation? I bet a lot of politicians around the world wished they had that opportunity.
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sirron
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Discussion 2 : 28 Feb 2013 at 16.332
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Amazing Thailand, where two once friends sue and counter-sue each other. Then a dislike builds to the point that one helps in the organization of a coup d'etat against the other and it is all over money. Actually not just amazing Thailand, politicians worldwide seem to have the greed gene very prominent in their DNA. They all have big egos and all want, want, want as much money and power as they can get and will forsake friendship and many other more worthwhile relationships to get what they want.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 1 : 28 Feb 2013 at 16.141
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It seems like there is a law in Thailand that the defendant must be in the country to acknowledge the charges. Otherwise a lawsuit can’t continue. This is why many lawsuits against Thaksin are on hold.
But it seems Thaksin can from abroad start as many lawsuits as he wants against other people without ever setting a foot inside his home country. If Thaksin wins it might even be that people who he sued must pay fines and/or go to jail.
Is that justice? How is it possible that a convicted criminal on the run is allowed to file a lawsuit against anyone?
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Thaksin defamation case against Sondhi dismissed | Bangkok Post: news

Thaksin suit against Sondhi dismissed

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