Thai webmaster gets suspended jail term

[News Bandit]

BANGKOK, May 30 - Thailand's Criminal Court sentenced a webmaster on Wednesday to an eight-month jail term, suspended for one year, for hosting Internet posts deemed insulting to the country’s revered monarchy.

Chiranuch Premchaiporn, Prachatai webmaster, was found guilty of failing to act in a timely manner to delete comments posted on the website which were deemed insulting to the royal institution. 

The court also fined her 20,000 baht (US$630).

The high-profile case drew international media attention as well as concern expressed by human rights advocates, NGOs and related agencies as it was widely seen as a test of freedom of speech in Thailand.

Ms Chiranuch was the first webmaster prosecuted under Thailand’s Computer Crimes Act.

The court judges said Ms Chiranuch could not deny responsibility for managing the content of her website. She was initially given a one-year jail term but that was reduced to eight months for her useful testimony.

On Tuesday, nearly 27,000 eligible voters signed a petition urging lawmakers to amend the lese majeste law.

The move came after Amphol Tangnoppakul, 61, known as 'Ah-kong SMS’ or Uncle SMS died in jail early this month while serving his 20-year imprisonment for sending text messages the court found to be insulting to the monarchy.

One of the most publicised cases, it sparked an uproar among those who criticised the law as violating the freedom of expression. (MCOT online news)

View the full article