The Nation enters plea of innocent over libel suit
The Nation's president Pana Janviroj entered a plea of innocent of Monday in the arraignment hearing for alleged defamation case stemming from the newspaper's March 20 headline about the then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The article, under a headline that read "Thaksin loses royal duty", said Thaksin could be replaced as chairman of the organising committee for the 60th anniversary celebrations of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne. Pana was the then editor of The Nation newspaper. Thaksin claimed the headline had tarnished his reputation as prime minister and instructed his spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee to sue the newspaper on his behalf. The Criminal Court has set May 29 to commence trial. The plaintiff will call four witnesses to testify in the two-day hearing and the defence is to summon six witnesses on June 19 and 20. The court has excused defendant Pana not to be present at the trial due to his work engagements. The Nation
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