Sondhi sentenced over defamation case
The Supreme Court Wednesday sentenced former media magnate Sondhi Limthongkul to a year in jail with two-year suspension for allegedly defaming key Pheu Thai member Phumtham Wechayachai on a TV show.
The ruling was revised from the Appeal Court’s 2009 decision to jail Sondhi for six months. In 2007, the Justice Court had sentenced the former mogul to two years in jail.
In 2006, Phumtham filed a criminal lawsuit against Sondhi and nine other parties, including production house Thaiday Dot Com, which produced the TV show Thailand Weekly on which the alleged defamatory comments were made.
Though Sondhi’s time in jail was increased, the Supreme Court decided that since he had not committed any wrongdoings before this, he should be given a chance to repent. Hence, he was granted a suspended sentence of two years.
Sondhi is also required to pay a fine of Bt200,000.
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