Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

Andy Hall briefs Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012 about Thailand's labor crisis

Fresh Charges Dismay British Human Rights Advocate Who Says His Own Rights Are Being Breached

Sunday, September 29, 2013
PHUKET: Migrant rights activist Andy Hall said today that Thai police have denied him justice in dealing with a fresh complaint laid against him earlier this week.

The British citizen, facing court actions that could see him jailed and liable to pay compensation of 300 million baht, said he was also ''very disappointed'' with the lack of support from his embassy.

The latest accusation over two controversial videos posted on YouTube means he will try to meet tomorrow with European Union officials to update them on the case.

The EU is at present negotiating a free trade agreement with Thailand, and the issue of workers' rights in Thailand is being looked at closely.

A large Thai company, Natural Fruit Ltd, has accused Mr Hall, 33, of criminal defamation and breaking the Computer Crime Act for disseminating his research alleging violations of migrant labor rights in its factory.

This week notification of a fresh claim was sent to Mr Hall in an email from the British embassy - but he was told that he would have to deal directly with the police to find out more.

As a result, Mr Hall went to Bangkok's Bangna Police Station last night to examine the new allegations.

''After last night's experience, I am very uncomfortable with the justice system here,'' Mr Hall said today. ''The document was a confession and I wasn't prepared to sign it.

''How can I get a fair trial? I have no confidence of that happening now.''

Mr Hall said he had seen migrants treated poorly by police and was surprised to experience breaches of human rights himself for the first time.

Although he reads and speaks Thai reasonably well, Mr Hall said he was not provided with an English translation of the document presented to him last night.

''My basic rights were denied,'' he said today. ''I had no right to a translator and no right to comment.''

He refused to sign because his knowledge of Thai script enabled him to see that the document was described as a confession, not an acknowledgement of the charge.

Mr Hall said that it was ''a very strange style of work.'' He said he believed the translator provided by police was ''someone pulled off the street.''

If at some point Mr Hall is arrested, he says he will not seek bail and will go to jail before fighting his case in court. ''I am a human rights defender, not a criminal,'' Mr Hall said.

The new allegations against him concern two videos posted online by Finnwatch, the rights group that commissioned his original research, and Aljazeera, a prominent international news outlet.

He said that although the complaint dated from July, one of the videos was only posted online this month.

''I still don't understand what the charge was,'' he said. The officer who was dealing with him appeared to be on the telephone to others almost constantly.

''Justice was not present in that police station last night,'' he said. ''The way I was dealt with was simply chaotic and completely untransparent.''

His legal research team continues to fear that an arrest warrant could be issued without proper process.

Mr Hall has been living in Burma but returned to Thailand briefly on Friday for a health checkup.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

email from embassy = classic TRAP - conscious or unconscious. Personal translator a vital companion on visit to police. You took a lawyer? Why go otherwise? Allegations could have been sent to you. Why did you as a farang ever have confidence in the Thai justice system.?

Posted by Sam Deedes on September 29, 2013 14:04

gravatar

i can well believe his treatment - how may times have you heard of people signing things here and turns out to be a confession? Plenty. Justice - I dont think it really exists here

Posted by Ciaran on September 29, 2013 15:37

gravatar

Never sign any document in Thai anywhere before you have had it translated by somebody you can trust 100 %.

Posted by Sailor on September 29, 2013 16:25

gravatar

This guy seems to be asking for it. The writing is on the wall. They don't want you in Thailand anymore. If he makes it out he should count himself extremely lucky and start taking his medical checkups elsewhere.

Posted by BigP on September 29, 2013 16:29

Editor Comment:

If you haven't got a background knowledge of the case, why show your ignorance? Guesswork really isn't wanted, BigP.

gravatar

Whilst he may think he has a case, simply read the press this past week to see where the world stands on human rights! Native labor in Brazil working unpaid in appalling conditions to build the FIFA world cup stadia. Nepalese slave labor in Qatar building towards another FIFA world cup. Morals go out of the window when serious big money takes over. Phuket is a prime example with Burmese slave labor building multi million dollar resorts & condos. Andy Hall would be well advised to shut up & get out. You cannot batter your head against the proverbial brick wall.

Posted by Logic on September 29, 2013 21:09

Editor Comment:

Your answer to the problems of the world is, ''Give up?'' Cease trying to sort right from wrong?
Another self-interested cheerleader for corruption and the greedy.

gravatar

Now now Editor. No need to be like that. You know my posts better than that. I did not & never have said give up ...BUT don't put your life at risk. There is a difference!

Posted by Logic on September 30, 2013 13:51

Editor Comment:

That wasn't obvious in what you wrote, Logic. Perhaps you should consider focusing more clearly on what you want to say, and not conveying the impression that you can't tell right from wrong. There was no hint that your prime concern was for Mr Hall's safety.


Wednesday December 4, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter