Thread: Sondhi found guilty of libel, jail term suspended

Sondhi found guilty of libel, jail term suspended


By The Nation
Published on August 3, 2011








People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul on Wednesday saw his earlier acquittal overtuned in the wake of an appellate decision finding him guilty of libel and sentencing a suspended jail term.


The Appeals Court ruled to convict Sondhi for defaming the Damapong family in connection with his remarks against the Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2006.


The high court penalised Sondhi with a six-month imprisonment and a Bt50,000 fine. It then cited leniency to suspend the jail term for three years.
The litigation began in 2007. As plaintiff on the family's behalf, Vice Admiral Kiatisak Damapong sued Sondhi for tarnishing his family's name.
The prosecution named 10 defendants, including Sondhi, talk show host Sarocha Porn-udomsak and editors and media outlets for print, online and satellite television in the Magager Group.
The gist of the case was about Sondhi's remarks critical of Thaksin and his family members and in-laws for selling Shin shares to Temasek of Singpapore. The family fortune in the telecom business by the Shinawatra and Damapong families.
The lower court ruled in favour of the 10 defendants on grounds for the prosecution's failure to outline any specific harms that Sondhi's remarks inflicted on the Damapong family.
The high court overturned the acquttal because Sondhi's remarks were unjustified in portraying every Damapong in a bad light even though they were not involved in the sale of shares. Under the appellate decision, Manager newspaper and its online edition were obliged to publish the verdict for seven consecutive days.

Sondhi found guilty of libel, jail term suspended

Originally Posted by Bangyai

It then cited leniency to suspend the jail term for three years.

It seems the high court is not as high as you might have expected it to be.
Considering some of the verdicts handed out to LM protesters it would seem there is a new word in their lexicon....' leniency ' .

The fact is that Sondhi was given carte blanche for his assistance in bringing down Thaksin and it's obvious the nearest he's going to get to porridge is when he walks past a can of quakers in Tescos

Originally Posted by Bangyai

...he walks past a can of quakers in Tescos

They do Quaker's porridge in cans? Well I never!

No matter, the Prosecution will appeal it, and he will get time in the hilton

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.