Thai defamation law allows cancer of corruption to flourish
Whether you hate him or love him (and he does not feature on my personal list of favourite Thai politicians),
Jatuporn Prompan’s conviction by the Supreme Court and imprisonment for criminal defamation should not give anyone cause for jubilation. I respect the Supreme Court and have complete faith that its ruling was sound, in accordance with the Penal Code. However, in all developed democracies, whose ranks I hope Thailand aspires one day to join, defamation as a criminal offence has either been scrapped or fallen into disuse long ago because it clearly has no place in a civilised society. The continuing existence of this offence in the Thai Penal Code is a key reason why there is little meaningful investigative reporting in Thailand and why the cancer of corruption is permitted to flourish at every level.
Shame on Abhisit Vejjajiva for pursuing such a case. He could have set an example by filing a civil case for damages only. Instead he chose to lower himself to the level of some his former arch-rivals and help shore up one of the main guardians of corruption in Thailand.
George Morgan
Bangkok
