The Criminal Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought against three former Pheu Thai MPs by Democrat Party deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij for defamation involving alleged improper upgrading of air tickets issued by Thai Airways International (THAI).
Ex-finance minister Korn Chatikavanij
The three defendants were Yongyuth Wichaidit, former deputy prime minister and interior minister; Anudit Nakornthap, former information and communication technology minister; and Jirayu Huangsub, ex-Pheu Thai Party deputy spokesman.
The lawsuit filed by Mr Korn and his wife Vorakorn charged the three wrongfully said during press conferences on Dec 26-27, 2009 that Mr Korn, then finance minister, may have abused the power of his office, which has the controlling stake in the national carrier, to upgrade air tickets when he and family members made private trips overseas.
The court found the defendants not guilty on the grounds that the defendants did not intend to hold the press briefings to defame Mr Korn but rather to focus on protecting the interests of THAI, a SET-listed state enterprise.
They also spoke in their capacity as members of the main opposition party at the time, with the duty to provide checks and balances on a cabinet minister and the government, the court said. Therefore the criticism was in good faith.