Titan CEO sues media mogul for libel, seeks US$30 million in damages
Businessman Tantai Narongkoon filed a libel lawsuit against firebrand media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul on Friday, demanding 1 billion baht (US$30 million) in damages for accusing him of involvement with criminal enterprises and money laundering.
Lawyers for Tantai, CEO of Titan Capital Group Holding, filed civil and criminal petitions against Sondhi on charges of libel and violation of the Computer Crime Act at the Bangkok Criminal Court and Civil Court.
The charges against Sondhi stem from recent comments he made on his Sondhi Talk programme.
Tantai’s lawyer, Nitisak Meekhuad, said Sondhi ruined Tantai’s reputation by alleging several times on his talk show that Titan Capital Group Holding and its affiliates laundered money derived from crimes.
Sondhi’s statements subjected Tantai to disdain and hatred, the lawyer said.
“Tantai decided to sue Sondhi so he can prove publicly that he is by no means involved in any illegal business, nor does he engage in any unlawful activities, including money laundering, as claimed by Sondhi,” Nitisak said.
Sondhi’s Manager Group operates several online news outlets.
He is well known as the top leader of the now-defunct People’s Alliance for Democracy, which staged street protests against Thaksin Shinawatra’s government before the former PM was ousted in a coup in 2006.
Nitisak said additional petitions would be filed against Sondhi if he continued to defame Tantai, Titan Capital Group Holding, or its affiliates.
“We will take legal action against anyone for similar offenses and we will seek both civil and criminal damages,” the lawyer warned.
Titan, an investment firm, made headlines last December by winning a Department of Land Transport auction of a much-coveted license plate number – 9กก 9999 – for a record-breaking 45.09 million baht.
