THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Top court upholds Sondhi's sentence

Top court upholds Sondhi's sentence

The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld a lower court's decision to sentence Sondhi Limthongkul to a two-year suspended sentence in a libel suit filed by former deputy PM and central bank governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.

The former Bank of Thailand governor is suing Sondhi for saying in ASTV’s Weekly Thailand show that the plaintiff had “whitewashed” the old power by allowing the operation of the two- and three-digit lottery. Sondhi also accused Pridiyathorn of helping former Revenue Department director-general Sirot Sawatpanit avoid checking on the sale of Shin Corp shares via Ample Rich to Temasek Holdings and opening the door to tax evasion in relation to the share sale. 
The Criminal Court had earlier sentenced Sondhi to two years in jail in the lawsuit, and after an appeal, the Court of Appeals reduced the sentence to one year in jail and a Bt30,000 fine. The court then commuted it to two years suspended sentence on grounds that the defendant had honestly carried out his duty as a member of the media to check on the government and protect the country’s interests. The court said Sondhi deserved support to continue carrying out his duty.
The Supreme Court ruled that though Sondhi had done his job as a member of the media, he should check what he says in public, as his statement could be deemed defamatory and not honest criticism. 
The court upheld the two-year suspended sentence and fined him Bt30,000. The defendant was also ordered to advertise the ruling in a daily newspaper for three consecutive days.
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