Disciplinary action has been taken against an air force officer for posting social media comments about police actions to disperse demonstrators at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok, an air force source said.
The comments could be deemed defamatory towards police performing their duty, the source said after a United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration post on Facebook claimed the officer was being investigated for alleged breach of discipline over his comments.
A committee was set up to conduct a disciplinary investigation against the pilot officer, a student at the air force's flight training school, said the source.
The training school has taken four punitive actions against him -- a flight suspension, a two-week confinement, three days of hard labour and a deduction of points for behaviour.
If criminal charges were filed against him and he was found guilty, he would be dismissed from government service.
Air force personnel are not barred from expressing opinions in a democracy, the source said, but they should avoid making remarks that could offend people and lead to a conflict.