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Thai activist charged over ‘inappropriate’ royal history post
BANGKOK, Oct 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Thai pro-democracy activist has been
charged over an “inappropriate” social media post, police said Tuesday, as
authorities use a tough cyberlaw against perceived critics of the powerful
monarchy.
Police arrested 25-year-old Kan Pongprapapan late Monday and charged him
with violating the Computer Crimes Act after a Facebook post touching on the
turbulent lives of world-famous royal families.
The charge carries up to five years in jail.
Kan, who was later released on bail, did not mention Thailand’s ultra-
wealthy monarchy, which is shielded from criticism by one of the harshest
royal defamation laws in the world.
The law heavily restricts reporting on cases involving the monarchy inside
a country where all media must self-censor when discussing the unassailable
institution.
“He (Kan) was arrested at his home on Monday night,” Thailand’s cybercrime
police said in a statement, adding that the message “spurred hatred”.
It warned others could also be prosecuted for sharing similar content. The
statement also mentioned an “inappropriate hashtag”.
It was not clear if it was referring to a controversial hashtag about
royal motorcades on Bangkok’s traffic-clogged streets that pinballed around
Twitter in recent days.
Kan’s lawyer Winyat Chatmontri said his client had “no intention of
talking about the Thai monarchy” in his Facebook post.
A cabinet minister covering technology over the weekend warned that the
government would pursue an anti-monarchy “network” using computer crimes
legislation.
Analysts say use of the tougher royal insult law — which carries up to 15
years in jail — has declined under King Maha Vajiralongkorn, crowned in May
following the 2016 death of his long-reigning father Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Critics say fresh attempts to crack down on scrutiny of the royal family
are aimed at creating a climate of fear as an arch-royalist government steers
a transition from junta rule.
Thailand’s monarchy is one of the wealthiest in the world, with interests
in real estate, construction and banking.
BSS/AFP/RY/1540 hrs