A charge of libel brought against a British journalist investigating what he described as ‘rogue’ foreign newspaper publishers has been dismissed by a court in Thailand.
The Pattaya Provincial Court dismissed claims made by 57-year-old American Drew Walter Noyes, founder of the English language Pattaya Times newspaper – leaving Andrew Drummond open to counter sue.
Andrew Drummond,a freelance journalist, accredited in Thailand to the London Evening Standard, but whose copy is widely used by British newspapers, had published a picture of Drew Noyes and fellow publisher Niels Colov, CEO of the English language Pattaya People Media Group, and leader of the Pattaya Police Foreign Volunteers.
The caption under Niels Colov, a Dane, read: “Been to jail”, while the caption under Drew Noyes read: “Going to Jail”.
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Drew Noyes is still currently on trial with his Thai common law wife Wanrapa Boonsu on charges of extortion. which have to be proven. Its claimed they variously attempted to extort the Australian director of a beauty clinic in Pattaya out of 7 million (£151,865) and 2.3 million Thai baht.
Prior to arriving in Thailand claiming to be a lawyer Mr. Noyes had been exposed in North Carolina in the United States in a two page report in the Wilmington Morning Star (now The Star) as a man of ‘myriad lies pursued by lawyers with unflattering allegations”.
The newspaper accused him of share fraud, unscrupulous property dealing, and cited a case of sexual harrassment against him.
Niels Colov prior to arriving in Thailand and establishing himself in Pattaya, a resort famous for its sex trade, had received a jail sentence for offences of pimping and violence in Copenhagen’s red light area of Vesterbrogade.
Drummond, 60, from East Craigs, Edinburgh,is a former correspondent for ‘The Times’ and ‘Observer’ ‘Daily Mail’ and News of the World but who quit 27 years ago during the Wapping industrial dispute.
While at the News of the World he was the recipient of the Maurice Ludmer Memorial Award for Investigations into Racism and Fascism. For that award he became an undercover Nazi infiltrating right week groups in Britain and Europe.
He said: “Common sense has prevailed again. None of the allegations against me have been serious, just the action of bullies trying to deprive me of my resources.”
Andrew Drummond was not required to give evidence.
The case was the latest in a series of legal actions taken against Andrew Drummond by Drew Noyes after Drummond published a series of exposés under the name ‘The Flying Sporran’ on Noyes’ activities in Thailand on his website. All previous actions, including an attempt to close down his website www.andrew-drummond.com have also failed.
Andrew Drummond had been helped in his legal actions with cash donated by readers of his site.
From Andrew Drummond: Once again I have to thank readers who have been so generous with their support, both moral and financial. Despite this I now have to pull my daughter from school and put her in a cheaper one for next term (something I have been trying to put off because she will lose some of her friends but this may be a blessing in disguise. The cheaper smaller one appears to have great staff) and I am past the initial discussion stage of re-mortgaging my home. At the moment we have two more cases to fight. One identical to the one above brought by Wanrapa Boonsu and another brought by David Hanks- the businessman from Melbourne – and Drew Noyes, who claimed they were libelled in readers’ letters. I think to put out another appeal for funds would be pushing the card out a bit far but for those who are regularly generous and know what I am fighting for, well hi! We have won three – just two more to go. My lawyers and Thai colleagues have been great and generous in their assistance. They understand what is happening. Meanwhile even if not one more baht is donated I will be forever thankful.
Can you claim legal costs in Thailand when you win a case; particularly when the claims are vexatious and frivoulous. Obviously the Noise has lost money too, but he may have bigger resources and / or backers.
Doi- I wish. The short answer is no. You can however initiate action against the other person for placing false charges. If you are awarded cash compensation it is quite difficult to enforce – some people merely move money out of their accounts to the accounts of other people.
Furthermore, Andrew, Thai courts are loathe to grant reasonable legal costs, as I understand it. If legal costs are awarded, they are at "local" Thai levels– a few tens of thousands of baht at most.
Thanks AD, that was my guess too. Noise gets away with a lot in this country because he understands the Thai system and appears well-funded. If he were convicted of money laundering, if he had obtained money in a fraudelent way, he could be prosecuted under the 1999 Money Laundering Control Act, though that is rarely used.
Doesn't Noyes realise that by clogging up the courts with these cases he is doing himself no favours? they will be sick of the sight of him.. The boy that cried wolf! Surely the Judges themselves must see him for what he really is, and as a time-waster? If I was a judge – I'd want shot of him, and there may be a good opportunity coming up in one of his upcoming criminal trials. There are innocent people in jail desperate for a hearing and you got the likes of Noyes wasting the courts time like this. The Santa hearing just goes to show how difficult it is to actually get somebody convicted in light of the most compelling evidence, can't say I was surprised by the verdict but I'm glad somebody did give him a wake up call… His rants in his joking newspaper/website are counter productive – they just lead the few people who may actually read it to dig deeper into the real him. I would guess 90% of his web traffic originates from this site anyway, and the odd spurt when someone like Thai-visa give him some exposure. His campaign to try and tarnish Drummond's name can only be described as delusional, who on Earth would need to do due diligence on Drummond and who on Earth would actually care? I'd be very unlikely to ever hand over a large sum of money to Drummond (unlike Noyes should I believe him to capable of what he promotes). I guess Drummond you must be quite flattered to have a hate site dedicated to you – something to boast about to your pals in the industry.
A small sum would help
Indeed he has several 'hate sites' up. Anyone reading them though would think the other was quite bonkers.
Is the judiciary sitting in the courts of Pattaya so oblivious to the fact that their role is being brought into disrepute every time a clown like Noyes or any of his henchmen brings an action so manifestly vexatious and without foundation?
I'm glad to be going.Thailand has its charms but as a place to live it is simply too silly, sometimes tragically so. Britain may not be the perfect spot but in truth it has, at heart, a seriousness that reflects the importance of life. Here, one is simply a hostage to foolish fortune and occasionally it amounts to no more than a lottery chip.
Frankly, Andrew, if I had children I'd consider rejoining a world where their potential had a chance of flourishing into something of substance rather than gambling on the least worst outcome.
Hurrah !!
AD I'm waiting, hoping for the baht to go up a bit before getting a transfer so am on strict budget, next two weeks or so – shall part with a small sum soon.
Good work !!!
I hear what you are saying Gerry but what does your post add to the debate about how the Noise has been getting away with so much. He is not some petty and poor minor crook; he has and is playing a serious game. Money and contacts, and an understanding of the system.
The psychopathic personality has two very strong characteristics. The first is the total inability to feel empathy for their victims or remorse for their wrong doing. The second characteristic is the total inability to even admit doing anything wrong. They blame others, kiss up and kick down and are extremely cunning at hiding in plain sight. The other characteristic which is more obvious is their self-aggrandisement. They tell blatant lies and are chronic name droppers. Their personal resume's are full of fabrications and distortions. They are also big-noters, no project or job is beyond them, they have done it all. Their inability to admit wrong doing makes them bad opponents in a legal case, especially civil law like in Thailand with the long appeal system.
I would have thought inability to tell the truth and face up to reality just means they get torn apart on the stand or in the witness box.
Yes – they do
Despite all your efforts Andrew it appears that Noyes is going to ultimately "walk" away from all of the legal issues that you have instigated and reported upon over the last couple of years. More so he appears to have the financial firepower to sustain and counter challenge every legal issue raised against him. Slowly but surely, he appears to be diminishing your financial ability to keep going, by having to downgrade your Children's education and re mortgaging your home. Drew Noyes can only take strength from this, and it makes one wonder where his seemingly bottomless pit of cash to keep fighting is coming from. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Thai legal system regards these matters as merely squabbles between Westerners and dispenses very little by way of penalty or strict judgement.It's a great pity that you can't find your own "Financial Geronimo" to fund your valiant efforts. I guess Pattaya remains the "Wild West" of Thailand, and still one of the few places in the World where snake oil salesmen and con men are allowed to thrive. In Australia men like Noyes, Colov and others like them would have been closed down a long time ago and slammed very hard with jail sentences,but somehow, I don't think that is a likely outcome for these people in Thailand. Don't let these people destroy you Andrew,as they have attempted to do to others, life is simply too short, rest up and enjoy whats left with your family, in the wonderful environment of Thee Kingdom of Thailand.
Well Keith I have not lost a case yet. The cases against me are unimportant and in the unlikely event he would get a conviction they will be appealed and won on appeal. It is true he is attempting to wipe out my resources and he has succeeded in that goal to a certain extent. The point is he has frightened a lot of people, some to the extent they had to leave Thailand. At one stage one has to say enough is enough. I knew I was in for the long haul. I have done this in Thailand and won. It is debilitating of course and of course my family are suffering because of my principals. But the kids are all happy and do not notice such things. At the end of the day Keith this is my job, whether unpaid or paid. Noyes is in court charged with extortion. He is also in court this month for fraud – the Theo van schaff case. The plaintiffs in these cases are also pretty determined. More to the point Pattaya knows who this man is now – and the courts are now seeing his behaviour.If he were to get away with things in Pattaya he will not at the next level. I would not believe headlines in the Pattaya Times which say Noyes – 'Cleared of all charges'. On the other hand there are other publishers in Pattaya who should have stood up against him but who just want 'an easy life'.
I think with everything to do with Noyes it is all a big bluff, his income must have taken a huge hit with all the reports on this site. His last attempt to extort the Aussie beauty salon owner smacked of desperation. He probably owes money to the people who hang around with him or has promised them a cut of future earns. I say hang in there Andrew as it is probably only a matter of time before Noyes either runs or gets his whack. I've been involved in a lot of court cases and my parents lost everything to a Noyes type. I have a strong hatred for people who prey on honest or vulnerable people. I despise them even more when they try to use the law against people who try to put things right. If convicted he can appeal but it takes money and his ability to make it must have taken a big nose dive
Could not agree more.
But neither you nor I know how deeply he can dig into his pockets or if he has associates with even deeper pockets. As I have said before he is not some solo short time thief.
Well done, AD, in sticking to your principles.
Not sure, Keith that this is purely an inter-farang squabble that does not involve Thais. As for funds, and leaving aside any alleged ill-gotten gains from farangs, he seems to have backers and I would assume they are not farang.
Agreed. But we must also keep in mind the Thai victims of The Noise. Without a doubt the Thonglor Clinic has Thai inverstors/partners. How does a Thai court view the extortion of the local Thai citiizens by an ex-pat Farang? Who knows that type of connections these Thai victims have. This may all come down to a case of "my connections are stronger, more hightly places than yours".
Good point watcher. Noise aims at farang but there could well be Thai victims, though would they have paid his "farang" prices. You are right about how Thais circumvent the justice system when they are cheated.
I really do think it is time one of the major wires took up this story, AFP, AP or another.