Will 'The Galt' go to jail?

[Gadfly]

You right that the media could care less about Galt. I also don't think they were interested in the personal particulars of the Aussie that was deported on LM charges.

 

What will interest them is if Galt goes to jail because of what he said about a property developer or Stickman. That is the story. And the story develops in a context where people have gone to jail on LM charges for what they said, previous criminal defamation charges (remember how Thaksin's criminal charges against a reporter seriously backfired??) and two (possibly three) may be charged for violating the cyber-crime act for translating Bloomberg article.

 

It doesn't matter what you think about Galt or the Aussie. They are not the story.

 

Whether you agree with it or not, the press has a natural antipathy towards criminal defamation, LM or any law where someone goes to jail for what they said. And if you think about the press does, this makes perfect sense.

 

I will bet Baht to Satang that if Galt wrote what he wrote in San Diego rather than Thaiand - no matter how obnoxious - there weren't be a snowball's chance in hell of anyone even considering criminal prosecution. It just wouldn't be an option.

 

Yes, respect other cultures, but when you start to put people in jail of what they said, particuarly an American, the press will notice. That is why this is an interesting post. I don't think Galt is particularly interesting, but the clash of values about freedom of expression is fascinating, and the clash between Western and Thai values about freedom of expression is playing out now in the Western press (it made the Wall Street Journal, BBC, etc.)

 

In this sense, Galt could luck out on timing.

[rchapstick]

when you start to put people in jail of what they said, particuarly an American, the press will notice.

 

You are delusional.

 

Galt has a loooong trail of participating in and writing about the naughty nightlife in LOS. Not a snowballs chance in hell he will come across as a sympathetic figure. From the press' perspective, he's just another perve who got caught doing "something bad".

[buddha]

rchapstick: "Not a snowballs chance in hell he will come across as a sympathetic figure. "

 

I don't think he portrays himself as sympathetic. I don't think he attempts this or is capable of it.

[ThaiHome]

Your San Diego example would be a sure bet as California repealed its criminal defamation laws in 1991. What makes this case interesting is it is not about Thais going after a foreigner, but a foreigner going after another foreigner using a Thai law that is pretty much been discredited the West.

 

Interestingly, they are both Americans, Wade is actually from Washington. Last year, the Washington Court of Appeals struck down Washington's criminal libel statutes as unconstitutionally vague. So Wade is using a Thai law that does not actually exist in his own home to go after Summers.

 

I do think the foreign press in Thailand is silent on this as Wade is a well known property developer that is often quoted in the Post and has spoken in various forums all over SEA on property development and Summers in just Summers, someone they probably have little sympathy for. Where is that famous champion of the underdog and all things Thai, Andrew Drummond, now?

 

TH

 

[Wallenda]

Interesting. Refusing to pay could be a good strategy on Galt's part. He could turn it into an international incident and he loves attention.

 

Does he have any kids? If so, maybe he could send one up in a balloon shaped like a flying saucer.

 

Does anyone have the link to the actual defamation he committed? Was it on his own site? (if so, maybe it's on archive.org) Or a forum?

 

[Gadfly]

Not a snowballs chance in hell he will come across as a sympathetic figure.

 

It doesn't matter how Galt comes across. I don't think the Aussie who was convicted and jailed on LM charges was a sympathetic figure either. It's not about Galt.

 

We're all speculating here, but I have been to a few FCCT meetings, and I can't see the foreign press here ignoring a story about an American going to jail for something he said or posted on a website, particularly not at this moment in Thai history. A quick poll: how many here who say the foreign press won't carry this story at all if Galt goes to prison for six year (or even half that amount) have attended two or more FCCT meetings in the past 12 months? How about one?

 

I attend on a regular basis (even if you disagree with their speakers, they're generally interesting and have something to say). I just can't see those guys just ignoring this story. Restrictions on the freedom of expression and criminal defamation laws are hot button issues here. And this is a safe story as well.

[Gadfly]

Your San Diego example would be a sure bet as California repealed its criminal defamation laws in 1991. What makes this case interesting is it is not about Thais going after a foreigner, but a foreigner going after another foreigner using a Thai law that is pretty much been discredited the West.

 

Interestingly, they are both Americans, Wade is actually from Washington. Last year, the Washington Court of Appeals struck down Washington's criminal libel statutes as unconstitutionally vague. So Wade is using a Thai law that does not actually exist in his own home to go after Summers.

 

Odd - not only am I finding myself in agreement with CW, but also TH. I didn't know about the point raised in TH's second paragraph, but if Galt actually does go to prison, that will add another interesting angle to the story.

 

TH is right about Thai criminal defamation laws and the like being discredited in the West. I will take it a step further and say it's a hot button issue with some foreign correspondents here.

 

This is why I find this thread so interesting. I know plenty here don't like Galt. I don't think he or is site was particularly interesting, but I am real curious to see how a prison sentence against a U.S. citizen for making a disparaging comments ("defamation") about a property developer (who also American?) will play out in the press and with the U.S. Embassy. That is interesting.

[cavanami]

The US Embassy will keep far away.

Clear cut areas where the US Embassy could add needed assistance, they are nowhere to be found, IME.

[NavigatorofIx]

 

Interestingly, they are both Americans, Wade is actually from Washington. Last year, the Washington Court of Appeals struck down Washington's criminal libel statutes as unconstitutionally vague. So Wade is using a Thai law that does not actually exist in his own home to go after Summers.

 

I do think the foreign press in Thailand is silent on this as Wade is a well known property developer that is often quoted in the Post and has spoken in various forums all over SEA on property development and Summers in just Summers, someone they probably have little sympathy for. Where is that famous champion of the underdog and all things Thai, Andrew Drummond, now?

 

TH

 

This is what I've been watching.

One of the reasons I'm not keen on 'big development' and 'real estate guru's' like Wade is that they are often exploiting the rosey glasses people who rock up to Thailand and can end up over their head. All while the smiling salesman just glosses over it and whispers in the spells until they hand over the cash.

 

People are so scared of the big money that real estate brings that they are jumping at shadows.

They ought not to be as they only have as much power as you give them.

I've been on thai forums where these real estators are given carte blanche untouchable status online 'cause they are paying for adverts.

 

Galts been saying what a lot of us think on the above but he did it without a shield of anonymity to protect him. Now he could pay the price.

 

I wouldn't count on Drummond. Unless it's an open-shut case he won't stick his nose in. Only when there is some closure will he make his lines.

 

Someone mentioned if I'm defended Galt or seeing it from his point of view only.

That's not the case. All we've been hearing it from is the complaining party's bias (Clayton).

 

The reason I'm pointing out Galts side of the story is that few expats in the provinces are even given the time of day compared to the Bangkok expat clique who stick to one-another like peas in a pod. You push one and the whole lot push as a whole.

 

I know Clayton is Pattaya but his links in Bangkok are 10x stronger than a provincial expat on a border city. This gives Clayton an unfair advantage.

Besides which, there's no smoke without fire.

If Clayton hadn't started the 'war' Galt wouldn't of attacked him online. Think about that.

 

This is old hat but my biggest concern are all the web forums we love to go on and have lively debates about being a distant memory.

 

One of my rules out here are to keep out of attacking thai affairs as much as possible.

Farangs out here are just like me or you, we aren't any higher or lower. BUT that means you've got a respect one another. When that doesn't happen then you've got problems and one is right, the other is wrong.

 

As soon as farangs like Clayton have this power to take other farangs to court because their real estate ego isn't being masturbated you've got a disease under the skin of this good country.

 

How anyone can think Clayton is whiter than white in all this is beyond a joke.

 

If person A does person B a wrong and person B isn't in a position to rectify it fairly is it so bad that they person B rectify's person As wrong doing later?

 

Person A isn't Galt by the way, hint hint

[CTO]

<<

The reason I'm pointing out Galts side of the story is that few expats in the provinces are even given the time of day compared to the Bangkok expat clique who stick to one-another like peas in a pod. You push one and the whole lot push as a whole.

>>

 

You don;t drink much in Bangkok - I've heard serious arguements at all levels - I seriously disagree with that line of thought.