Two, people, arrested, over, spreading, rumors, Thai, king's, health

Matichon reports that two people were arrested today. One an employee of a company in Silom for breaching the Computer Crimes Act for posting a message causing damaging results and the stock market to fall.

In addition, the police reported that they arrested another person at the airport who was returning from Austria, namely Miss Teranun (น.ส.ธีรนันต์ วิภูชนิน), a former exeuctive of securities firm UBS. Miss Teranun posted a message using the alias "BBB".

Miss Teranun stated to the press that she translated Bloomberg's story on the day there was a steep stock market fall. She said that she had no intention of causing the stocks to fall.

The message was posted at Prachatai.

Krungthep Turakit reports that the Silom guy arrested is named Katha Pajajirayapong (คธา ปาจาจิริยะพงษ์). He works for Seamico Securities, and posted the message to Fah Diew Gun.

ASTV Manager reports that Miss Teranun was questioned before being charged under Section 14 of the Computer Crimes Act. ASTV Manager also reports that the police are still checking to see whether there is any connection between the two of them. They are being questioned at Crime Suppression Division and haven't been granted bail.

BP: Have previously blogged on Section 14 here and here. The relevant (based on what the police are stating) Section 14 provisions are below:

If any person commits any offence of the following acts shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand baht or both:

(1) that involves import to a computer system of forged computer data, either in whole or in part, or false computer data, in a manner that is likely to cause damage to that third party or the public;

(2) that involves import to a computer system of false computer data in a manner that is likely to damage the country's security or cause a public panic;

BP: Is translating a Bloomberg news article enough? What about the news organizations who also reported what Bloomberg reported on then? Won't they also be charged? What about the Bloomberg journalist in Hong Kong? We haven't been given a timeline of when those posts were made yet, but this just sounds bizarre. Well bizarre unless this is just a cynical warning to commentators at Prachatai and Fah Diew Gun (both anti-coup, discuss issues related to the monarchy, more closely aligned with the red shirts, etc.)

btw, Reuters also reports:

The Securities and Exchange Commission has said it is seeking trading information on two accounts from two foreign brokers, Credit Suisse in Hong Kong (CSGN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) and UBS in Singapore (UBSN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research), in connection with the market plunge and was also looking at one domestic account

BP: Hmmm....