Court dismisses 40-million baht lawsuit against 222 Buri Ram farmers

The Nang Rong provincial court in Buri Ram province on Tuesday dismissed a 40 million baht lawsuit against 222 farmers by a fertilizer selling company on the ground that all the defendants have not signed any contract to buy fertilizer from the plaintiff.

The lawsuit was instituted to the court by Deesing Thaveechoke limited partnership against the 222 farmers, accusing them of breach of contract to buy fertilizer worth about 40 million baht from the plaintiff under the state-sponsored Occupation Promotion Project for Buri Ram People 2015.

The court ruled that the defendants were not a direct party in the contract with the plaintiff and they had never engaged in any talk with the plaintiff about buying fertilizer from it.

However, the defendants – many of whom members of the female farming group – signed their names to receive subsidy under the Occupation Promotion Project for Buri Ram People.

One of the defendants, Mrs Nudaeng Thongbai reacted with joy after the acquittal verdict. She explained that they signed their names to receive the fertilizer to be given to them free of charge under the project.

She also complained that no state or provincial agency came to their assistance after they were sued by the company until they took their case to the Department of Special Investigation and legal counselling was provided.