AFTER former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn was pushed and fell off his bicycle and angrily confronted by Mr. Nattawut Wongniem, chairman of Aurelian Group Co., Ltd., outside Thonglor police station early last month, the former is now gearing up to file a defamation lawsuit against the latter on Monday (Oct. 12), Naewna newspaper said today.
The incident outside Thonglor police station was witnessed by the media and police officers with Nattawut, a former lawyer and adviser to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin, having aggressively told Somchai “I’m ready to face you” just as he arrived to file a complaint against him.
Somchai said on Facebook today that he is filing a direct lawsuit against Nattawut for filing a false police report and public defamation at 10 a.m. on Monday at Bangkok South Criminal Court in Yan Nawa district.
This lawsuit is separate from the physical assault case at Thonglor police station, in which the accused previously jumped bail, resulting in the forfeiture of a 45,000-baht bond, and is currently subject to a summons to appear in court for a petty offence which is punishable by a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or imprisonment of up to one month.
Somchai clarified that this additional direct lawsuit is being filed to protect his legal rights over Nattawut having “filed a false police report”.
Moreover in media interviews Nattawut had alleged that Somchai defrauded the Civil Rights Fund for Transparent Elections, which is also called “SLAPP” (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation).
It was alleged that Somchai withdrew all donated funds to lavishly support a woman who was not his wife, specifically identifying her as a high-ranking executive at a private company. He maintained that all this information is false and intended to publicly defame him and had severely damaged his reputation.
When filing a lawsuit directly with the court, whether criminal or civil, the plaintiff is required to pay a court fee amounting to 2% of the claimed damages. For instance, a claim of 10–50 million baht incurs a fee of 200,000 baht, while a claim of 5 million baht incurs a fee of 100,000 baht.
“The damages I am claiming are not excessive; I consider the figure appropriate for the circumstances and sufficient to serve as a deterrent, reflecting the respective statuses of the plaintiff and the defendant,” he said.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn outside Thonglor police station, left, and the press behind the barrier, right. Photo – Naewna
Earlier report:
Former election commissioner Somchai takes action after being assaulted by Nattawut
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