Jatuporn gets suspended jail term

The Criminal Court on Thursday sentenced red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan to six months in jail, suspended for two years, and a fine of 50,000 baht after finding him guilty of defaming Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The lawsuit was filed by Mr Abhisit.

It stated that Jatuporn, in speeches from the rally stage of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship from Jan 29-Feb 15, 2010, accused Mr Abhisit, who was then prime minister, of ordering soldiers to kill people.

The court convicted and sentenced him.

The court dismissed another defamation lawsuit brought against Jatuporn by Mr Abhisit, who objected to Jatuporn calling him a military draft dodger.

The court ruled that Mr Jatuporn, in making the comment, was only doing his duty as an MP in scrutinising Mr Abhisit's qualifications to serve as prime minister.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 29/09/2012 at 01:48 AM
lek - "Perhaps someone will enlighten me if I have misunderstood just how the law works here in Thailand." Simple. If you are a part of the current government, the law does not work at all.
Discussion 2 : 28/09/2012 at 06:20 PM
"Jatuporn gets suspended jail term" I thought he had the documented evidence on AV ? Maybe his friends in the US Secret Service were busy ? Lucky Boy , after what they did in Bangkok , i guess he could have found himself suspended , from a tree or bridge or something , for instance ? And the red sympathisers try to call out the military for attacking it`s own people , absolutely laughable since the police did nothing but watch and the redshirts were incited by ptp/udd on behalf of yinglucks convicted crinminal fugitive Bro`master , the Dubai desert serpent ?
Discussion 3 : 28/09/2012 at 03:28 PM
I wonder whether the Thai justice system really understands the use of suspended sentences. Any further conviction happening during a period of suspensed jail sentence should automatically lead to the original jail sentence being carried out. Perhaps someone will enlighten me if I have misunderstood just how the law works here in Thailand.
Discussion 4 : 28/09/2012 at 09:49 AM
brilliant 12 - The evidence has already been presented to the public and media. If the case went through, it would force the courts to rule on the authenticity/accuracy of that evidence.
Discussion 5 : 28/09/2012 at 08:26 AM
This UDD leader did not take care of his redshirt followers in 2010.
Discussion 6 : 28/09/2012 at 04:34 AM
I wonder who give an order for soldiers to take actions against protesters....I guess all those footages of vidoes airing on youtube is makeup. Maybe it is another Rambo going Rampaiged after!
Discussion 7 : 28/09/2012 at 03:26 AM
jib - "Interesting . . . perhaps someone didn't want Mr Jatuporn to produce the evidence in court?" LOL. Do you really think if UDD had strong evidence that Abhisit didn't serve his military obligations it wouldn't have been presented already when it would do the most damage, say when he was PM? These red unsubstantiated conspiracies are getting rather boorish.
Discussion 8 : 28/09/2012 at 01:19 AM
There will be no law enforcement with a fugitive PM and a cabinet that was chosen because they were able to incite a riot .
Discussion 9 : 27/09/2012 at 11:39 PM
Dear BP. I understand as a convicted felon he is no longer eligible to be an MP. Am I right?
Discussion 10 : 27/09/2012 at 11:10 PM
#2, can you tell me with who are friends this people never jailed in the other camp? And don't be so ingenue, the PAD/dems certainly don't look for any reconciliation, they want take the power against the Thai people, keep privileges for a small minority and manage the injustices for the others. I hope the "big change" you talk is not this people.
Discussion 11 : 27/09/2012 at 10:05 PM
"The court dismissed another defamation lawsuit brought against Jatuporn by Mr Abhisit, who objected to Jatuporn calling him a military draft dodger...The court ruled that Mr Jatuporn, in making the comment, was only doing his duty as an MP in scrutinising Mr Abhisit's qualifications to serve as prime minister." Interesting . . . perhaps someone didn't want Mr Jatuporn to produce the evidence in court?
Discussion 12 : 27/09/2012 at 09:59 PM
May I ask how many suspended sentences equal 1 jail term?
Discussion 13 : 27/09/2012 at 09:51 PM
Discussion 5 : Does Khun Mark need his wall painting again? lol
Discussion 14 : 27/09/2012 at 09:18 PM
I am sure soon there will be another “peaceful demonstration” by the red shirts in front of Abhisit’s house because he dared to sue one of the red-shirt leaders. They can’t let him get away with that, now can they?
Discussion 15 : 27/09/2012 at 08:52 PM
I really do not understand the que for cases. It seems some cases years old never reach the court while new cases only months old are front and center.
Discussion 16 : 27/09/2012 at 07:39 PM
Jatuporn should have been made to make a public apology on television and radio as well as in the newspapers for a week. He has got off very lightly as most / many farmers won't hear about the court's decision and will continue to believe Jatuporn's remarks. Will these people ever get their Karma in this life, I wonder?
Discussion 17 : 27/09/2012 at 06:59 PM
funny to read this ...jatuporn have a 50,000 b fine heheheeh willbe paid by the thaksinredshirt family.+ he will never go to prison because he is a friend and the red leader and those people never do jail .some people r paid to let those people free what ever they do...reconciliation will not hapen with those people around Thailand Never Never...Thailand need a big change on top of the politic pyramid...and its not with this attitude that it will change.....
Discussion 18 : 27/09/2012 at 05:36 PM
"The court ruled that Mr Jatuporn, in making the comment, was only doing his duty as an MP in scrutinising Mr Abhisit's qualifications to serve as prime minister." Why doesn't he do his duty by scrutinising the qualifications of the PT ministers too?

Back to top

More From Bangkokpost.com