(SEAPA/IFEX) – Picnic Corporation, a cooking gas conglomerate, has filed two lawsuits against Matichon Plc, a leading Thai media company, for libel. The company is seeking a total of Bht15 billion (approx. US$360.5 million) in compensation, the single largest fine ever sought against local media. The criminal lawsuits, filed separately with the Criminal Court of […]
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Picnic Corporation, a cooking gas conglomerate, has filed two lawsuits against Matichon Plc, a leading Thai media company, for libel. The company is seeking a total of Bht15 billion (approx. US$360.5 million) in compensation, the single largest fine ever sought against local media.
The criminal lawsuits, filed separately with the Criminal Court of Southern Bangkok on 15 and 18 July 2005, allege that a series of articles published in the company’s sister newspapers, “Matichon” and “Prachachart Thurakit”, tarnished the company’s credibility and caused a drop in its share prices.
Picnic Corp. also sought a court injunction to suspend the papers for five years for “repeatedly committing such libel acts and damaging the country’s economy.”
On 25 July, the company’s lawyer, Sukit Poonsrikasem, was quoted in the local daily “Post Today” as saying that Picnic Corp. has sought the action in order to stop ongoing negative reports about the company. The embattled conglomerate is being investigated for stock-related offences.
Sukit hinted that what the company sought above all else was for Matichon Plc to admit their news reports were inaccurate.
The court agreed to consider both cases for review and will convene a preliminary hearing on 19 September.
Picnic Corp.’s lawsuits come as a landmark trial is set to begin on a criminal lawsuit filed against media activist Supinya Klangnarong and “Thai Post” newspaper by Shin Corp., the media and telecom operator closely linked to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family.
Shin Corp., which also demanded Bht400 million (approx. US$9.6 million) in compensation in a separate civil suit against the same defendants, alleged that Supinya’s comment that the company’s profits soared under Thaksin’s administration was untrue (see IFEX alerts of 15 July 2005, 13 October, 9 and 1 September, 24 August, 1 July and 23 June 2004).
