FACTflash: Facebook page leads to possible lèse majesté arrest
September 4, 2011
[FACT comments: New govt, same old shit…]
September 4, 2011
We have received reports, still to be confirmed, that a Thai Facebook user has been arrested for lèse majesté, the first under Thailand’s new govt.
We are still waiting on reports that Facebook was actually involved or cooperated in providing information to Thai police.
This news report in Thai:
http://thaienews.blogspot.com/2011/09/facebookfb.html
A user named “mmmp” has posted a topic in the “Serithai” discussion forum (a forum leaning toward right-wing, pro-monarchy), on September 2, 2011, 19:58.
The title of the post is “Good news on LM website arrest”. It said:
—
“Good news. Today a [fraternal] group that searches and arrests those LM websites has been in contact with Facebook USA and Facebook gave [them] good cooperation.
They passed IP address[es] and geo-location[s] of a person or people who created a Facebook page that take offence to our King.
Today the [fraternal] group has led the police force to arrest one man in his place around Ladprao [north of Bangkok]. He is about 40 years of age and uses a profile named “เราจะครองแผ่นดินโดย…….” [We will reign with…]. They will follow the other cases further.
From Thai people group against LM pages on Facebook.”–
This profile appears to be the subject:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1309038595
The last account activity was on Thursday, September 1, 2011 17:28 (local time).
The account profile “เราจะครอง แผ่นดินโดยทำรัฐประหาร” (“We will reign with coup making”) is a play on the “We will reign with righteousness” statement by the Thailand’s current King.
Although this arrest is as yet unconfirmed, social activists in Thailand using Facebook as their principal platform must be extremely careful using this network.
It’s difficult to imagine that Facebook as a corporation would take such cooperative action without official Interpol request. However, such action could have been taken by an employee of Facebook.
Using Facebook is a danger to your privacy and your freedom.
FACT - Freedom Against Censorship Thailand 
September 4, 2011 at 20:54
The arrest is now CONFIRMED.
Facebook cooperation still not confirmed (and many said it’s unlikely).
Info from Anon Numpa, a Thai human rights lawyer:
the arrested is a man, ~40, programmer (or of computer profession)
The arrest happened on Thursday, Sep 1, 2011.
Now he’s detained at Bangkok Special Prison.
September 5, 2011 at 4:34
‘ It’s difficult to imagine that Facebook as a corporation would take such cooperative action without official Interpol request. However, such action could have been taken by an employee of Facebook. ‘
Wow! You trust a corporation but suspect an individual. My sentiment is exactly the opposite!
‘Using Facebook is a danger to your privacy and your freedom.’
That’s been the case since it was invented… it was invented to abuse your privacy and your freedom. The poor lambs bleat and march to their slaughter.
As for the new royalist regime that has replaced the previous royalist regime… It’s the Royal Thai version of Obama’s change without changing, and in fact things have got worse.
We who believe in freedom cannot rest.
No to 112. Free all political prisoners.
September 27, 2011 at 0:12
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