Thailand’s Prime Minister’s Office Warns Public that Sharing Distorted Information is a “Violation” of the Junta’s Computer Act

 

BANGKOK – Lieutenant General Sansern Kaewkamnerd a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office has warned that people posting and sharing fact-distorting texts and images in online media is against the law.

General Sansern’s comments come after Authorities (The Junta) recently dealt with cases of sharing images and texts on social media, in which some groups of people are continually trying to publicize distorted information, such as incomplete, and edited information.

For example, a post “Big Tu Reprimands Thai people for using Little Brain, disclosing there are people bent on destroying military and establishments” has been identified as distorted.

On closer examination, it is news from 2015 when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gave a special speech at a meeting of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. At the time, he said that he was not contemptuous towards Thai people. However, the present misleading post has caused misunderstanding and lessened the trustworthiness of the government.

The spokesperson observed that the cycle of political slander has returned, so the prime minister has ordered every related agency to quickly inform the population of the correct facts in each case, especially on social media.

At the same time, he asks those who intend to create false news or edit information in order to generate hate, to stop such activities because they are violations of the Computer-Related Crime Act B.E. 2560.

“If found, the perpetrators will be strictly subject to legal proceedings and punished according to the law.”

By Vipaporn Pooritanasarn