Red Bull’s Chalerm Sues TV Host, Ex-Cop for Defamation Over His Son’s Case

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In this April 5, 2017, file photo, Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya, whose grandfather co-founded energy drink company Red Bull, walks to get in a car as he leaves a house in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

BANGKOK – Chalerm Yoovidhya, the son of the late Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, sues TV host and ex-cop for defamation which claims he used 300 million baht for lobbying to help son, Boss, escape charges.

On May 28 at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road, Ampol Kaewpan, an attorney authorized by Chalerm Yoovidhya, a Thai billionaire businessman, filed a defamation lawsuit against Police Lieutenant Colonel Sanit Mahathavorn, a senator and former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and Miss Ubonrat Thao Noi, a TV host. The plaintiff is seeking 50 million baht in damages.

The lawsuit alleges that on February 29, 2024, the two defendants, with the first defendant being a host and news anchor on a TV program and the second defendant being a guest, aired content that was defamatory. The audio and video were recorded and the clips, videos, or audio-visual recordings were distributed on the TikTok application.

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Ampol Kaewpan, an attorney authorized by Chalerm Yoovidhya, a Thai billionaire businessman

The program’s content accused Mr. Chalerm of spending up to 300 million baht in lobbying efforts to help his son, Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, escape charges after his son drove a car that hit and killed a police officer before fleeing the country. However, this money allegedly did not significantly help his son.

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The first defendant’s TikTok account “bonratbonrat” has over 26,900 followers, over 219,100 likes, and some video clips have over 1,400,000 views. It is a social media platform accessible to the general public worldwide. The first defendant, as the host, headlined the video clips or audio-visual recordings.

The plaintiff’s petition states that the actions of both defendants caused damage to the plaintiff, tarnishing the reputation of the family, and subjecting him to contempt and hatred, which constitutes defamation by publication.

The plaintiff requests that both defendants jointly publish or announce the court’s judgment and an apology to the plaintiff on the TOP NEWS website, TOP NEWS TV programs, the TikTok application under the name “Miu Ubonrat” with the username “bonratbonrat”, and in the Thai Rath, Daily News, Matichon, and Manager Daily newspapers, using the full page for 7 consecutive days.

Additionally, the messages, video clips, films, or audio-visual recordings must be immediately removed from the TikTok application under the name “Miu Ubonrat” with the username “bonratbonrat”.

The Criminal Court has accepted the lawsuit as a criminal case and scheduled a preliminary examination hearing for September 2, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.

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Chalerm Yoovidhya

Attorney Ampol stated that the plaintiff is seeking 50 million baht in damages, which is not excessive considering Mr. Chalerm’s reputation and goodwill. When asked if he would settle if mediation was proposed, he firmly stated that there would be no settlement because there has been a distortion of facts in several aspects of Mr. Vorayuth Yoovidhya’s case, leading to misunderstandings in society.

For example, since 2012, there have been allegations that the person hit by the car was dragged for 200 meters. In 2020, a working group from the Office of the Attorney General clarified to the Police Commission of the House of Representatives that the autopsy results showed no traces or injuries consistent with the body being dragged along the road, contrary to the distorted information provided.

Mr. Chalerm’s lawsuit is an exercise of his legal rights to prosecute individuals who distort the facts. If any other person is found to provide information in a similar manner, legal action will also be taken to protect his and his family’s reputation. Witnesses are prepared for the preliminary examination hearing.

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