Court Dismisses Libel Case in Pet Food Controversy against Noted Marine Scientist, Petch Manopawitr
The Criminal Court yesterday ruled in favour of the marine scientist after hearing testimonies from him and his plaintiff, a pet food trading company, saying his remarks were made in good faith and he had no intention to defame the plaintiff, according to the lawyer team from EnLaw, which represented him at the court. So, the court decided to dismiss the case.
The court had deliberated to see whether Dr. Petch’s remarks defamed the plaintiff or not and it viewed they were general comments made against shark consumption. They were not specifically directed against the plaintiff nor intended to accuse it of lacking conscience, the court noted.
Dr. Petch had pointed out that the pet food products made from sharks reflected the lack of knowledge of the species, which he viewed as being important to the marine ecosystem. He had also expressed concerns over the current fishery that often leads to bycatch, the court noted.
