Pichai Naripthaphan, a key member of the Pheu Thai Party, has been summonsed to report to the Technology Crime Suppression Division on Thursday to answer a charge relating to his criticism of the regime.
The former energy minister said the summons, dated July 26, requires him to meet TCSD investigators over accusations that he posted a false statement which could undermine national security and the economy or trigger panic among the public.
The summons is in response to a complaint by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
The Pheu Thai member has received a total of 11 summonses since the NCPO took power, and he said has no idea what triggered the fresh summons.
He criticised the regime for using the Computer Crime Act to restrict freedom of expression, especially as an election approaches, and insisted his comments and criticisms are based on public information and can be verified.
He said if Pheu Thai won a mandate to form a government, it would seek to amend the law to prevent it from being used as a political tool.
Pheu Thai heavyweight Watana Muangsook on Wednesday lambasted the regime for using the computer law to intimidate its critics after the administrators of Facebook pages related to the Future Forward Party were summonsed by police.
He said the law was exploited to bully the regime's critics.
Mr Watana urged the public to fight against this kind of abuse of power.
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