The Criminal Court has approved a police request to detain 19-year-old Natdanai Khongdee accused of launching a series of cyber attacks for 12 days until Jan 8 for further investigation and dismissed his bail request.
The petition seeking further detention was filed by Pol Capt Chalit Maneeprao, a police investigator from the Technology Crime Suppression Division. It said police have to question five more witnesses and were waiting for the results of a background check on the suspect.
The petition also opposed any bail application by the young alleged hacker. The court agreed with the police request, saying the alleged hacking appeared to have been committed by an organised group and could affect national security.
Mr Natdanai’s family had submitted a bail request with a land title deed worth 400,000 baht as surety. The court dismissed it at 4pm and Mr Natdanai was taken back to the Bangkok Remand Prison.
Mr Natdanai is among nine people detained for their alleged involvement in the hacking of government and military websites, including that of the Royal Thai Police, in protest over the controversial computer crime law.
The petition said Mr Natdanai was arrested at the house where he lives with his parents in Khlong Sam Wa area of Bangkok on Monday after an investigation found the place was being used to hide illicit drugs and stage online attacks on government sites. Seized from the house were two pistols, a rifle, two gun frames, 19 rounds of ammunition, three compressed bars of marijuana and computer sets and accessories. A drug test on the suspect produced a positive result.
Police have accused Mr Natdanai of being an online gun-dealer. Police have pressed multiple charges related to drugs, firearms and computer crime laws against Mr Natdanai who has denied all of them.