On 29 November 2010, a representative of Frank G Anderson appeared as scheduled at Rachadaphisek Criminal Court, Prosecutor’s office Section 7, to listen to progress being made in a criminal defamation case filed against Anderson by UK national Akbar Khan, formerly a member of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand.

Since February 2010, Anderson has appeared before police and the prosecutor some two dozen times, ostensibly to acknowledge criminal defamation allegations Khan made against him for material Khan claims defamed him on Anderson’s website, www.thekoratpost.com . Anderson’s online commentary critiqued Khan for pursuing several lese majeste charges against others in Thailand.

Anderson reports that beginning with the first visit to the police in response to a summons, he informed police that they should never have asked him to appear based on faulty English-to-Thai translated material Khan gave to police to support his defamation case. Anderson told the police they should have immediately told Khan to have any relevant material translated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then attach that to his plaint. Police never did this.

It was sometime in September 2010 that Anderson finally learned from the prosecutor that the indicated mis-translated material had finally been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But even up to late November there was no apparent progress in the case.

At the 29 November 2010 appearance, Anderson’s representative was informed that the prosecutor would consult with police to determine whether Anderson should be formally charged with criminal defamation or not. If the prosecutor decides to proceed with charges, Anderson will be required to put up 50,000 Baht personal guarantee to remain free.

Prosecutor states that a decision to prosecute or not will be made by 13 December 2010.