BTW does anyone know if a warrant was issued for either of the two suspects/victims involved?
Frobel International School has not paid the August salary of the teacher who taught their summer school; will the Taipei Times and the China Post (KMT) allow him to advertise this message. I don’t think so.
Many schools in Taiwan demand that their teachers have a Finnish accent. In fact, Finnish accents always pay more than those of Americans or Brits and Aussies. Probably the most sought-after accent by the Taiwanese is the Icelandic one. I have had the rare pleasure of knowing one such individual who said she was making standard rates times 18 for teaching. She also got a cumulative end-of-class bonus for every word she had spoken during the term (a staff of 12 recorded and transcribed her every word). I recall it was one tael of gold for every 1,000 words.
What pisses me off the most about this is that they printed their passport numbers. I don’t really care what these two guys did but that’s a privacy issue, of course we all know there is no privacy in Taiwan, but the point is the newspapers should also be careful about this. Who is ultimately responsible, if there is a law? The cram school or the newspapers? They always do this to the S.E. Asians as well. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen pictures and passport numbers of runaway housekeepers in the newspapers.
I had considered working for them a few times a week just to get out of my office a few times a week, but after reading all the horrible things on here + the information in the newspapers, I’d never work for them and I hope more foreigers read this stuff and stay away.
Don’t know if this belongs here or in the Human Rights forum, but here we go:
The China Times Express has a frontpage story about the China Post being found guilty and fined 2x300,000 NT for publishing ads from a buxiban listing the pictures and passport numbers of two foreign teachers it said were frauds.
The two foreigners sued the China Post for moral damage and won today, though the Post will appeal, according to the CTE.
Part of the two teachers’ complaint was also that the ads were hard to discern from regular news reports in the Post.
What’s the bet we don’t see crap about this in the CP itself?
[quote=“Tetsuo”]What’s the bet we don’t see crap about this in the CP itself?[/quote]Unless there’a court order to print an apology? Zero chance.
The editor will blame the ad manager, who will say: “The ad contained nothing discriminatory or sexist. There was no nudity, no mention of corruption, sex, drugs or prominent figures and no proof of any wrong-doing. I decided to run the ad anyway since we needed the money”. Advertiser is at fault for not checking his ad properly for errors. Meeting adjourned.
Now if I could just find some real fish n’chips, I could put that paper to good use.
BTW, I heard they are suing all three english language newspapers. 
Yea I seem to remember seeing this supposed ad in the Taipei Times as well. Hmm…I could be mistaken though. It could have been the CP on one of the rare occassions that I read it instead of the TT. 
hahahhahahhahahhahahhaa
I have just been informed the two men in question will be appealing to the high court, as they are seeking a much greater settlement. Part of the ruling will force The China Post to print a front page appology to the victims of this slander for 2 consecutive days. Apparently the 2 blokes are sueing the language school for 1 million US$ and will not settle for under 5 million NT$. The Taipei Times is a much larger case, as they have a much greater market capital. How embarrassing it would be to have to apologise to your own audience of readers, and inform them that you took part in the slandering of foreigners (your target market). Also, I was told the defendents in question working for the language school received 3 months behind bars. Would you believe it, jail time for this? I believe it’s long overdue to make a statement and example of these unscruptious bushiban laobans and laobanyiangs! Lawyerdude 
Civil suits in taiwan are notorious for having judges issue whimsical rulings. I hope these guys have a lot of money and years to burn.
Strange only one local english language newspaper ran the story today…Taiwan news, page 3.
BTW…
You do realize, as a lawyer, suing for and receiving are two totally different things. Also if they refuse to settle and lose…then they might get nothing. 
Why don’t we post the links for others to view:
etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/2004/ … 214386.htm
BTW from the sounds of it, they will make out extremely well without a doubt, I don’t think losing is an option, as the evidence is so clear and concrete. Remember the owners were found guilty in the criminal case. God, I wish someone would put my ugly face on the paper.lol
Taiwan
China Post ordered to pay libel damages
2004-09-15 / Taiwan News, Staff Writer /
Two foreign employees of a local language school yesterday won a libel suit against a Taipei-based English-language newspaper, the China Post, after the Taipei District Court ruled that an advertisment the paper ran had damaged their reputations.
In addition to printing a formal apology, the China Post is required to pay NT$300,000 in compensation to each of the two employees.
This is the first time two foreign nationals have won a libel suit against a local newspaper. The two plaintiffs decided to sue the China Post for libel after consulting with their lawyers.
The two plaintiffs, identified as Samppa Suoniemi from Finland and Graeme Laronge from Canada, worked at the Spontaneous Language School as sales representatives until last year.
They said they were greatly disturbed by the ad that appeared twice under the title “memorandum” on the front page of the China Post in November of last year. The ad was also printed by the Taipei Times and the Taiwan News and included not only photographs of the plaintiffs but also their full names, nationalities and passport numbers.
Without specifying details, the language school said in its ad, “Spontaneous is not responsible for anything they (Suoniemi and Laronge) have done outside the school,” and “other language schools are advised to remain cautious and not to be deceived by them.”
During the trial, the China Post argued that it had no right to alter the content of the ad run by the school. The paper said it had agreed to run the ad after deciding it was the result of some kind of financial dispute between the school and its two former employees.
However, the judge did not accept the paper’s argument, saying that the ad should not have appeared on its front page under the “memorandum” heading, which may have given readers the wrong impression that it was a news article.
As usual, playing devil’s advocate, I don’t think they will get anywhere near US$1 million - this is not the U.S. and that’s a lot of money, and even if they can prove they were unemployed due to this memo reasonable damages would never reach this amount.
Why do people grow up only to “play devils advocate”? It seems something is wrong in ones life when they are always looking for a negative side.Would you agree?
Thanks to everybody, from the beginning to the end of the thread, who posted information about this matter. It was a refreshing read! It looks to me as if the system worked the way it’s supposed to. Again, thanks for the info! 
Who ever said I had grown up?
And personally, I think there is something wrong with two guys who want to sue newspapers according to their ability to pay and seek extravagant damages…and people who encourage this type of behavior, but that’s just me. 
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.ph … 5&start=15
They should get what they can.They weren’t convicted of any crime! OIT can something like this happen.
I agree go for it all cuties.Put the bloody bushibang under where they belong.10 feet deep,bury them.got hit the sack,kids are ready for me at 9am,night all.Great thread!