Could the brazen a$$hole of 2006 award go to....

Last year's brazen asshole was a South African with a fake degree who was lawfully and correctly deported by Taiwan used his fake degree to appeal the verdict and bamboozle the court. This year we've got an early start on the award....as the Standard reports via AFP that the company whose mistreated Thai workers rioted last year is suing said workers for damages:

A Taiwanese contractor whose mistreatment of Thai workers sparked a riot has filed a civil lawsuit against 14 of the workers, demanding NT$19.67 million (HK$4.68 million) in compensation.

Sunday's disclosure of the lawsuit, seeking compensation for property damage, sparked anger. "The company has been fined by the Council of Labor for its wrongdoing. Now why has it dared to do this without hesitation?" Kuomintang legislator Joanna Lei said.

Around 300 construction workers, protesting poor living conditions, vandalized vending machines in August at their dormitory in Kangshan town, set fire to their canteen and clashed with police and firefighters.

The protest forced then-labor minister Chen Chu to resign. The workers resumed work after the firm promised to improve food and living conditions.

[Taiwan] [labor]