Thai PM Twitter account hacker busted

The 22-year old Thai student could be charged under Computer Crime Act that carries up to two years in prison

AFP | October 7, 2011



A 22-year-old Thai student could face two years in prison for hacking into the prime minister's Twitter account and posting messages accusing her of incompetence, officials said today.

Akawit Thongdeeworakul surrendered to the authorities after he was contacted by investigators searching for the anonymous hacker who posted eight tweets on Sunday mocking the premier.

"He told me his act was innocent as he didn't realise it would be a big deal," information, communication and technology (ICT) minister Anudith Nakornthap said at a news conference attended by the suspect.

"He was remorseful for what he did and said he will use his computer expertise to help the ICT ministry fight against lese majeste websites (sites that insult the monarchy). He confessed that he did it alone."

The university student, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, remained silent and expressionless during the news conference.

Anudith said the suspect could be charged under a section of the Computer Crime Act that carries up to two years in prison.

"I would like this case to be an example for those who would like to do something like this," he added.

Thailand has drawn criticism from rights groups for suppressing freedom of speech using the Computer Crimes Act and lese majeste legislation, which bans criticism of the king, queen, heir or regent.

Yingluck described the Twitter attack as a "violation of people's personal rights" and suspended her account.

The sister of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra was lambasted on a variety of subjects in the tweets, including her response to recent serious flooding and a number of key government policies.

Comments

 

Other News

Income Tax dept holds Ghatkopar Outreach on new IT Act

The Income Tax Department organised an outreach programme in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, to raise awareness about the key features of the Income Tax Act, 2025, effective April 1, 2026. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to promote taxpayer awareness, simplify compliance, and strengthen a transparent, eff

Making AI work where governance is closest to people

India’s next governance leap may not solely come from digitisation. It will come from making public systems more intelligent, more adaptive, and more responsive to the dynamics at the grassroots. That opportunity is especially significant at the panchayat level, where governance is not an abstract po

Borrowing troubles: How small loans are quietly trapping youth

A silent crisis is playing out in the pocket of young India, not in stock markets or government treasuries, but in smartphones of college students and first-jobbers who clicked on the Apply Now button without reading the small print.  A decade ago, to take a loan, you had to do some paperwor

A 19th-century pilgrim’s progress

The Travels of a Sadhu in the Himalayas By Jaladhar Sen (Translated by Somdatta Mandal) Speaking Tiger Books, 259 pages, ₹499.00  

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter