The Thai military summoned an anti-dam activist into a military camp, warning that he might be charged with the computer crime act and the sedition law for his facebook post reporting land dispute between local people and investors.
On Wednesday, 4 May 2016, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that on Tuesday, 3 April 2016, Kritsakorn Silarak, a coordinator of the Assembly of the Poor for Pak Mun dam, was summoned into 22th Army Circle Camp in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani.
According to TLHR, the letter summoning him issued by the military states that he posted in his Facebook account a seditious message and image opposing the junta’s administration which is a severe threat to national security.
The letter also claims the authority under the NCPO Order No. 3/2015, which allows the authorities nearly absolute power to maintain national security.
Kritsakorn said that there were more than 10 military personnel talking to him at the military camp. The authorities said that he was summoned because of his post on Facebook that reports the land dispute over the Kampuang islet in the Mun river, TLHR reported.
“It is problematic because the post mentions the junta, reads ‘Where is the junta? Why villagers are prohibited from planting rubber trees while capitalists can deforest without any charge’...I just want to urge authorities to find the perpetrator” TLHR quoted Kritsakorn as saying.
Kitsakorn added that the islet has been a dispute between villagers and capitalists for over 10 years. In early February 2016, there was a deforestation of preserved trees within the area. The villagers filed a complaint against a capitalist who cut those trees and authorities confiscated those preserved woods. However, those woods now disappear and there was no progress in the lawsuit.
The authorities told Kritsakorn that he could be charged under the Computer Crime Act and Article 116 of the Criminal Code, the sedition law, since such message misleadingly incited people to conflict. If he find any government officers not doing their job, he should directly report to the authorities, not posting like this on Facebook, Kritsakorn spoken to TLHR.
According to TLHR, Kritsakorn was previously summon by the military for three times already for hosting a campaign and assembly related to Pak Mun dam.
The talk between Kritsakorn and the authorites (source: Kritsakorn Silarak's Facebook)
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