A small group of activists staged a brief symbolic protest Sunday against the amended computer crime law in Bangkok's Pathumwan area under close observation from authorities.
The government had warned that such gatherings could break the law.
The protest took place in the afternoon in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre after the National Legislative Assembly last Friday passed the amendment to the 2007 Computer Crime Act.
Protesters from the 'Free Internet Society of Thailand' (Fist) ignored a junta warning to hold a brief protest against the updated Computer Crime Act. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
Protest signs referred to the online Change.org petition against the new law. The petition had more than 372,000 signatures on Monday morning.
- The Big Issue: Every computer is a crime scene
Early in the day, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd called on those who intended to join protests against the computer crime law to reconsider as they could be in violation of the law.
Calling themselves the Free Internet Society of Thailand, the group led by 19-year-old Aomthip Kerdplanon of Chulalongkorn University held placards against the controversial legislation and read a statement questioning the NLA's decision to pass the bill despite more than 360,000 people signing up against it.
The protest was observed by dozens of police and soldiers. After 30 minutes, authorities asked protesters to disperse as the activity could be considered unlawful.
Sirawit "Ja New" Serithiwat, a pro-democracy activist, was also there to observe the protest.
Lt Gen Sansern's warning came after a public invitation was circulated on social media asking opponents of the legislation to join planned protests Sunday at Democracy Monument and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in Pathumwan district.
The invitation was posted on the Facebook page of the Citizens Against Single Gateway group, but the group denied it was hosting the protests. Thai Netizen Network, which spearheaded the campaign against the computer crime law, also denied having anything to do with the activity.
Lt Gen Sansern criticised opponents of the computer crime law, saying they were crossing the line and could be instigating chaos by breaking the law and establishing themselves as hackers.
He admitted some groups had attempted to hack information from government agencies but failed, saying such acts justified the law's amendment.
However, he insisted the Immigration Bureau's system had not been compromised as claimed by the Anonymous hacker group which announced it would attack state agency websites in response to the passing of the legislation.
