Thai Junta leader vows to use telecom tech to crack down on lèse majesté

Khaosod English -  Thailand's junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that suppression of a suspected anti-monarchy network will be a top priority of his administration, adding that the government will use all means, including telecommunications and information technology to crack down on lèse majesté.

Gen. Prayuth outlined a strategy to "defend" the monarchy in a speech he is due to give to his puppet parliament, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), on Friday. The speech details a variety of policies that Gen Prayuth’s semi-civilian interim government will pursue over the next year. 
 
The speech’s transcript describes the monarchy as an important element of Thai-style democracy and an institution that the Royal Thai Government is obliged to uphold "with loyalty and defence of His Majestic Authority."
 
"We will use legal measures, social-psychological measures, and telecommunications and information technology to deal with those who are not mindful of their words, are arrogant at heart, or harbour ill intentions to undermine the important Institution of the nation," the speech reads. 
 
Prayuth's transcript does not elaborate how the telecommunications and information technology will be used.
 
Earlier Prachatai reported about an unconfirmed report that the Thai authorities planned to implement a surveillance device starting from 15 September to sniff out Thai Internet users, specifically targeting those producing and reading lèse majesté content. 
 
 
 
 
 
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