In an earlier post PPT mentioned the likely scapegoating of a provincial red shirt Krit Bootdeejean. We quoted UDD chairman Jatuporn Promphan saying that Krit’s relatives who felt he had been treated unjustly. Jatuporn also stated that “Krit was not the person who forged the announcement,” and “accused the military and police officers involved in the investigation of being ‘over-enthusiastic’ and of double standards for treating the 25-year-old Phetchabun native as a high-profile criminal while no legal action was being taken against Niran Yaowapha, who oversees ASTV Manager website that allowed the same statement to be briefly published.”
We think that this gross double standard, where ASTV/Manager probably posted the”fake” story a good few minutes before Krit put it on his Facebook page, has prompted an order from the top for the charging of the ASTV online manager.
The National News Bureau reports that the “Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) has sought approval from the Military Court for a warrant to arrest Niran Yaowapha, the head of Manager ASTV’s online section, who allegedly disseminated a forged statement from the Royal Household Bureau about His Majesty the King’s health…”. The police warrant alleges lese majeste and breaching the Computer Crime Act.
Niran has said he posted the “fake” statement and removed it when the statement was said to be faked.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 