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| British labour activist Andy Hall in Thailand trial | British labour activist Andy Hall in Thailand trial |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A British activist who campaigns for better working conditions is set to go on trial in Thailand charged with criminal defamation. | A British activist who campaigns for better working conditions is set to go on trial in Thailand charged with criminal defamation. |
| The alleged offence is one of a series of charges relating to a report into labour abuses which Andy Hall helped write two years ago. | |
| He was charged after a complaint by one of the Thai food companies he wrote about. | He was charged after a complaint by one of the Thai food companies he wrote about. |
| Mr Hall's website says he faces up to seven years in prison if found guilty. | Mr Hall's website says he faces up to seven years in prison if found guilty. |
| The report he helped to write claimed that Thailand's Natural Fruit Company, the country's largest producer of pineapples, mistreated its workers. | The report he helped to write claimed that Thailand's Natural Fruit Company, the country's largest producer of pineapples, mistreated its workers. |
| BBC south-east Asia correspondent Jonathan Head said a number of European retail and labour organisations had called on the company to withdraw its complaint and "investigate the allegations against it instead". | BBC south-east Asia correspondent Jonathan Head said a number of European retail and labour organisations had called on the company to withdraw its complaint and "investigate the allegations against it instead". |
| He said Thailand had grown to become one of the world's biggest food producers, but it had an "image problem" and had been criticised for the treatment of migrant workers. | He said Thailand had grown to become one of the world's biggest food producers, but it had an "image problem" and had been criticised for the treatment of migrant workers. |
| This year Thailand was downgraded by the US to the lowest level on its annual list of countries that tolerate human trafficking. | This year Thailand was downgraded by the US to the lowest level on its annual list of countries that tolerate human trafficking. |
| The frequent use of the criminal defamation law in Thailand to silence critics has been condemned by human rights groups, our correspondent added. | The frequent use of the criminal defamation law in Thailand to silence critics has been condemned by human rights groups, our correspondent added. |