Court dismisses slander case against activist

Ticha na Nakhon, who heads the Justice Ministry's Kanjanaphisek Home for Children and Youths, was accused of defaming Police General Sant Sarutanond in her articles.

The articles, which appeared in a Thai newspaper in 2003, talked about how a top police officer had made unwanted sexual advances toward a television reporter. Even though he was not named in the pieces, it was clear that the man being written about was Sant.

Although the lower court initially dropped the suit against Ticha in October 2006, Sant decided to appeal. However, the Appeals Court stood by the lower court's decision on grounds that Ticha's articles did not intend to slander Sant, but to encourage the society to help prevent sexual harassment.

Ticha welcomed the ruling, saying that the law should protect women.

"This shows that people without power are not destined to lose," she said.

Ticha's lawyer Nakhon Chompoochart said he believed this case would discourage bosses from sexually harassing their subordinates.