Thailand: Thammasaket Poultry Farm files fifth set of criminal charges against former migrant workers
"Thammakaset Poultry Farm Files Fifth Set of Criminal Charges in Thailand, Prosecutes Former Myanmar Migrant Workers Again for Theft", 13 August 2018
Today two of 14 migrant workers from Myanmar, who alleged suffering labour and human rights abuses whilst working at Thammakaset Farm Co. Ltd. poultry farm in Lopburi Province of Thailand, reported alongside lawyers from NSP Legal Office to give statements at Khok Dtum police station in the province. This follows the farm's filing of a fifth set of criminal charges in relation to an ongoing dispute against them, other workers and NGO activists...If convicted of the latest criminal charges filed by Thammakaset on 1st August 2018 under section 335 (11) of Thailand's Criminal Code, the two workers face up to five years in prison and/or a 100, 000 baht fine...This increasingly publicised SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) case has seen Thammakaset already file two separate criminal cases against the 14 workers for defamation, giving false information to public officials and theft. Both cases, dismissed by a first instance Court and Lopburi Public Prosecutor respectively, are still however being pursued on appeal and through private prosecutions by Thammakaset within the Thai justice system...In addition, Thammakaset has filed three additional criminal cases against the workers, NGO activists and has also threatened more prosecutions including against local Thai journalists.