Thammasat student Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat has never thought of himself as particularly well off. The 23 year old, who studies political science, is from an ordinary family in Min Buri. The military, however, seems to think differently. During a recent house call, officers remarked on how he owns a washing machine and a “nice bike”.
News of the comments made it onto social media and caused a stir. Public figures took pictures of themselves with their washing machines and bicycles, posting them on Facebook in solidarity with Mr Sirawith.
The fact that people even consider him a student is a source of irritation to the government. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha took a swipe at his academic status, saying, "I want to know how long he has been a student and when he will graduate."
Mr Sirawith said he's never tried to prolong his studies to engage in politics. "This is my fifth year. Technically I'm a final year student but I haven't been able to pass the compulsory English test yet, and I want to pass it," he explained.
Following the coup in May 2014, Mr Sirawith's name began gaining prominence on the political scene as a member of the four-person Resistant Citizens group.
The group has been a thorn in the side of the junta, quietly protesting by walking together, and filling the void left by silenced anti-coup campaigners including Sombat Boonngamanong and red shirt politicians Nattawut Saikuar and Jatuporn Prompan.
The plump student also leads the New Democracy Movement, for which he organised a trip to the scandal-hit Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin last month, despite warnings from the government.
The group's train was intercepted in Ratchaburi province, and the 40 or so activists were prevented from completing their journey "for their own safety".
While the military government has tried to play down his activities, people outside the country are eager to know more about him.
Members of the American media asked US State Department spokesman Mark Toner for information on what had happened to "Ja New" shortly after he was arrested by the military last week.
Mr Sirawith was whisked away from Thammasat University's Rangsit campus by masked men in camouflage outfits who came in pickup trucks with covered licence plates about 10.30pm on Wednesday night.
Gen Prayut said the arrest was for violating the ban on public assembly and political activity during the Rajabhakti Park trip.
While declining to answer specific questions about Mr Sirawith, Mr Toner said US officials "remain concerned by continued limitations on human rights and fundamental freedoms in Thailand, including undue restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly".
The spokesman said the US urges the Thai government to respect people's right to freedom of expression.
On Friday, Human Rights Watch called on the Thai government to urgently investigate the "abduction and alleged beating and mistreatment" of Mr Sirawith by soldiers.
The organisation also questioned why he and five other New Democracy Movement activists were facing charges in a military court, since international human rights law prohibits governments from using military courts to try civilians when civilian courts are functioning.
The name "Ja New" was trending on Twitter in Thailand for three days.
Security-camera footage of his arrest showed three uniformed soldiers grabbing Mr Sirawith from a street outside the campus.
He was then frog-marched into a vehicle and driven away as stunned bystanders looked on.
Mr Sirawith was handed to Nimitmai police station at 1am, leaving questions over what soldiers had done with him for more than two hours.
The student later said he had been blindfolded with a cloth bag over his head and driven to an unknown location, where he was dragged out of the pickup truck and through a field, before being forced to kneel down.
Officers asked him: “Do you want to be famous? Why do you talk to journalists? Don’t you understand your duties to serve the nation?” He said they kicked, slapped and jabbed him in the head with something hard, which he thought was the barrel of a gun.
There were no signs of any physical abuse by the time a doctor from Siriraj hospital examined him at the Thon Buri Railway Police Station the following morning.
NCPO spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree strongly denied the assault allegations, and said the student activist had become increasingly provocative, forcing the junta to take action.
The arrest came one day after Mr Sirawith posted a Facebook picture of a court summons inviting him to hear the verdict of an appeal lodged by the Resistant Citizens group, which filed a criminal suit against five coup-makers, including Gen Prayut.
The attempt to lay treason charges against the coup-makers has already been dismissed by one court, but the group refused to back down and appealed the decision.
The pickup trucks that whisked Mr Sirawith away had their number plates hidden, but were reportedly from Gen Prayut's Burapha Payak division in Prachin Buri.
The more the military has pressured the student, the louder their critics.
Now the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is urging the military to drop all charges against 11 student activists it is pursuing for violating the NCPO's ban on political gatherings of more than five people.
The students face a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
“The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and opinion are fundamental rights and should never be regarded as a serious criminal offence,” said Laurent Meillan, of the OHCHR's Southeast Asia branch.
“We urge the authorities to drop all charges against the students.”
Mr Meillan said the fact the students are being charged with breaching an NCPO order rather than an ordinary law means their case will be heard by a military court, which raises the risk of an unfair trial and leaves defendants with no right to appeal.
"OHCHR is also concerned that soldiers allegedly placed a hood over Mr Sirawith’s head when he was arrested, and that he was slapped and kicked while in custody," he said.
"The apprehending soldiers allegedly failed to identify themselves, gave no reason for his detention and did not advise Mr Sirawith where he was being held."
The government should investigate the allegations of ill-treatment and allow the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand to carry out an independent investigation into the incident, he added.
“The authorities, including all security officials, not only have the duty to enforce the law, but also to ensure that they themselves abide by the law at all times,” said Mr Meillan.
As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Thai government is obliged to protect the civil liberties of all its citizens, including the right to be protected against arbitrary detention, to be informed of any charges against them, to be given access to legal counsel and to face an independent and impartial tribunal.
Mr Sirawith is much like David, facing the Goliath that is the NCPO, but the eyes of the world are watching.