Will 'The Galt' go to jail?

[Gadfly]

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

 

What are these "clear cut areas"?

 

Actually, one of the clear cut areas is getting U.S. citizens out of Thai prisons/ I went back to the briefing notes of the breakfast talk by Ambassador John I mentioned above. He identified getting U.S. nationals out of Thai prisons as a priority. If needed, they would be transferred to U.S. prisons And said he was proud of the fact that - at least as of the day he gave that breakfast briefing - there were no (zero) U.S. citizens in Thai prisons.

 

Now, in this context, imagine a U.S. citizen in serving time in a Thai prison for criminal defamation. The U.S. doesn't recognize defamation as a crime. Indeed, U.S. defamation laws are so (some would say) weak that U.S. celebrities now sue tabloids in the U.K. for civil damages because they have a hard time even recovering damages in the U.S. because of First Amendment limitations.

 

Now this isn't a case of civil damages. Its a criminal charge and others above are posting about a six year sentence. That is what we are talking about, and that is where I see the problem.

 

Because the U.S. doesn't recognize this as a crime, a prisoner transfer arrangement (which is how they handled many of the U.S. nationals in Thai prisons) won't work. And we know what the FCCT thinks about the Thai criminal defamation laws.

 

We're all speculating here, but I thinks this will be a real conundrum for all involved (the Thais and the U.S.) if Galt actually gets sentenced to prison for defamation. This is what makes the story interesting for me.

[ThaiHome]

I too find it interesting; somewhat along the same lines as you, but more interesting to me is the complete silence of the expat forum community.

 

I can’t find a copy of Galts articles about Wade, but from memory, he pretty much just chronicled his experience in trying to buy something using Wade as an agent. This experience led him make some judgments on Wade’s ethics and business practices which he put into the article. Even if he doesn’t end up doing any time, seems a shame he had to even spend 48 hours in jail for it.

 

TH

 

[ALHOLK]

<<

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.

 

 

As a blanket statement it might not be correct but are for sure sub sets of the Bangkok expat community for which the statement holds.

[cavanami]

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

 

What are these "clear cut areas"?

 

Actually, one of the clear cut areas is getting U.S. citizens out of Thai prisons/ I went back to the briefing notes of the breakfast talk by Ambassador John I mentioned above. He identified getting U.S. nationals out of Thai prisons as a priority. If needed, they would be transferred to U.S. prisons And said he was proud of the fact that - at least as of the day he gave that breakfast briefing - there were no (zero) U.S. citizens in Thai prisons.

 

Now, in this context, imagine a U.S. citizen in serving time in a Thai prison for criminal defamation. The U.S. doesn't recognize defamation as a crime. Indeed, U.S. defamation laws are so (some would say) weak that U.S. celebrities now sue tabloids in the U.K. for civil damages because they have a hard time even recovering damages in the U.S. because of First Amendment limitations.

 

Now this isn't a case of civil damages. Its a criminal charge and others above are posting about a six year sentence. That is what we are talking about, and that is where I see the problem.

 

Because the U.S. doesn't recognize this as a crime, a prisoner transfer arrangement (which is how they handled many of the U.S. nationals in Thai prisons) won't work. And we know what the FCCT thinks about the Thai criminal defamation laws.

 

We're all speculating here, but I thinks this will be a real conundrum for all involved (the Thais and the U.S.) if Galt actually gets sentenced to prison for defamation. This is what makes the story interesting for me.

Ambass John needs to check the records again as there is an American, James, that has been in Thai prison for the past three months for some BS Thai crap...as I said, the US Embassy is...

[The_Munchmaster]

Munchie's just going through one of his grumpy phases. He'll keep reading. I bet he even clicks on this post

I bet you he doesn't.

[Gadfly]

I can’t find a copy of Galts articles about Wade, but from memory, he pretty much just chronicled his experience in trying to buy something using Wade as an agent. This experience led him make some judgments on Wade’s ethics and business practices which he put into the article. Even if he doesn’t end up doing any time, seems a shame he had to even spend 48 hours in jail for it.

 

Galt went to jail for that? OK, now I am really curious. Anyone have a link to what Galt posted? It sounds as though its the kind of stuff that no one would bat an eye at in the U.S.

 

The stuff Galt posted on stickman - or at least the stuff I read, since I have not made a career out of following this soap opera - seemed out of line and something that foreingers should simply not do to other foreigners here, but certainly NOT something that anyone should go to jail for.

 

If what he posted on the property developer is the same, this is absolute B.S. I wonder if there is a Thai equivalent of the ACLU?

 

Its unsympathetic guys like Galt where westeners are put to the test about whether they really believe in freedom of expression. I am critical when Thai authorities or vested interests pull this sort of stuff and the same standard (IHMO, a harder one) should be put to westeners when they file criminal defamation suit.

[chuckwoww]

I can't find what was actually said. Galt has deleted a lot of stuff on his site. I did find this if anybody wants to 'wade' through it....

 

 

[NavigatorofIx]

I've read every article Galts posted. So I'm a soap fan on this.

It's interesting because you have two polar opposites of thought about how to do things.

This aside I can tell you three things from Galts posts.

 

1. Galt and Stick disagreed strongly and it was made known. Fair enough that is what the internet is for, expression free of some c*cksucker telling you what you can and cannot say.

 

2. Galt was ripped off by Clayton. Just prior to the rip-off Galt was doing work for Clayton and helping him out. They had a gentlemans agreement that Galt would be paid what was due to him. Galt didn't get paid his due.

When Galt made an issue (rightly so) Clayton went schizo and started threatening Galt in his apartment, on the street. It got pretty nasty. Galt didn't get paid. Clayton owes him for that

 

3. Galts revenge was to make it known what had happened in Pattaya (see number 2). So maybe what's due to Galt is cancelled out? Not up to me to decide that. I only observed the unfolding dramas.

 

The posts had to be deleted due to Clayton spitting out his dummy and loosing face.

Galt didn't really help matters by focusing on Claytons THAI business dealings for criticism rather than Claytons violent tendencies of being a schizo.

 

If JG had focused on Clayton rather than his business it would (in my eyes) of been nigh-on impossible to take to court as it would of been his personal opinion and not involving his livelihood.

Once you start dissing a Thai registered company (in this case the one in Wades wifes name) you are in for some flak.

 

I didn't know there were sympathetic ears in the Bangkok Expat circles.

You are right I don't get out much in Bangkok drinking and glad for it too. I hate the place for living in and avoid like the plague. Individual expats are ok usually but the group mentality bs is so fake and petty.

Stick is in tight with that and being controlled (according to Galt).

[chuckwoww]

I like the polarization too. Got to wonder what the Thai officials make of it all. Any predictions on the possible outcome?

[tikimaster]

Navigator, thanks for the recap. I've been following this too, but couldn't remember how it all played out.

 

One detail I seem to recall, which complicates it a bit, didn't Galt drag Wade's wife into it somehow? I remember him posting a photo of her, which I thought crossed the line.