Authorities plan to shut down a Facebook page that allegedly spread false information on two key lese majeste suspects in an act police believe was aimed at confusing their investigation.
The webpage, which shared a photo of former colonel Khachachart Boondee, who was stripped of his army colonel rank, and former 11th Infantry Regiment commander Suchart Prommai, with a post claiming they were in New Zealand, is among suspicious pages involving 50 people thought to be telling lies about suspects’ whereabouts in many criminal cases, Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Pol Lt Gen Thitirat Nongharnphithak said on Friday.
In the latest case, “we already know the persons responsible for this [Facebook] page,” he said but he declined to give further details.
An initial investigation found that the webpage is also thought to have made written attacks on the military and the monarchy.
The CIB’s Technology Crime Suppression Division is checking which sections of the Computer Crime Act were violated and will ask the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to close down the page, Pol Lt Gen Thitirat said.
Other web pages on which similar offences have been committed are currently being monitored by the police, in particular “those involving 50 suspects who are considered a threat”, Pol Lt Gen Thitirat said. He added that he “will not let them walk free”.
The CIB chief did not disclose their details but said they are the “old groups and regular faces” using social media to serve their hidden purposes.
The photo of Khachachart and Maj Gen Suchart earlier drew the attention of police as they were searching the suspects’ hideouts.
The pair reportedly fled abroad, following accusations they solicited money which they claimed would be used to fund the production of T-shirts for the “Bike for Mom” cycling event in August last year.
However, senior police officers later said the photo was taken a long time ago and did not confirm the two suspects are now in New Zealand.
Military officers close to the two suspects believe they could be in New Zealand. One reason is the country does not enforce Thailand's lese majeste law.