However the court suspended the penalty for two years during which the defendant, Khunthong Lorsereewanich, the publisher, is required to report himself every four month.

Former minister, Phumtham filed the defamation charges against Khunthong and five others executives of the paper for printing libelous statements against him in November 2005.

The court on Wednesday ordered the defendant to destroy all copies of the daily's edition of November 23, 2005 that had libelous statements against Phumtham.

The ruling came as the court decided that the statements in the paper on November 23 concerning Phumtham were not journalists' expression of opinions on a public figure and the statements did not benefit the public and readers.

However the court dismissed the charges against the daily's executives saying they were just owner and executive board members of the daily and did not involve in the printing of the statements.

After the court session, Khunthong told reporters that he would file an appeal as the statements were part of the journalists' work to investigate politicians.

Earlier this year, the criminal court sent the daily's founder, Sondhi Limthongkul, to two years in jail on the defamation suit against Phumtham.

Sondhi is free on bail and is during the process of appealing.

The Nation