Sondhi convicted of slandering Thaksin | Bangkok Post: news

The Criminal Court on Thursday sentenced Sondhi Limthongkul, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader, and Sarocha Porn-udomsak to six months each in jail, suspended for two years, after finding them guilty of defaming former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

In the lawsuit, Mr Sondhi and Ms Sarocha are the first and second defendants, and Manager Media Group Plc the third defendant.

The lawsuit stated that on Aug 24, 2007 Mr Sondhi and Ms Sarocha hosted a programme "Yam Fao Paen Din" broadcast on ASTV which featured speeches they made to PAD supporters in the United States.

Their speeches were also published in Mr Sondhi's Manager daily newspaper.

In their speeches, they quoted former deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai as saying about eight hours after the Sept 19, 2006 coup that he resigned from the Thaksin government because Thaksin had verbally offended a high institution. The speeches were considered defamatory of Thaksin.

"The actions by both defendants were slanderous, so the court sentenced them each to six months jail and a 20,000 baht (640 dollar) fine each," the judge said

The two were also ordered to publish the court verdict in five newspapers for seven consecutive days.

The jail term was suspended for two years.

Thaksin, who lives abroad to escape a jail term for corruption but remains an influential and divisive figure back home, sued the pair via lawyers in Thailand.

Insulting the monarchy is a serious charge in Thailand. Under its strict lese majeste rules anyone can file a complaint, and police are duty-bound to investigate it.

In a tangle of Thai litigation, Mr Sondhi has himself been indicted on lese majeste accusations, for quoting from the 2008 speech of a hardcore member of the rival red shirts, Daranee "Da Torpedo" Charnchoengsilpakul.

The Criminal Court has accepted to hear the case, which is postponed until November 1.

Daranee is serving an 18-year prison sentence for her remarks, insulting the royal family at rallies seeking the return of Thaksin. Under the law, the charge of repeating her speech is as serious as the original offence.

Mr Sondhi is also among a group of protesters charged with terrorism last month over the crippling 2008 seizure of two Bangkok airports, which helped to topple a Thaksin-allied government.

Thailand is largely split between the pro-establishment Yellows, backed by Bangkok-based elites who detest Thaksin, and the mainly poor and working-class Reds, who supported Thaksin's populist policies when in power.

Two months of protests by the Red Shirts in Bangkok earlier this year sparked outbreaks of violence that left 91 people dead and nearly 1,900 injured, ending with a bloody army crackdown on May 19.