Fugitive data hacker-soldier suspended from duty
published : 11 Apr 2023 at 13:54
writer: Wassana Nanuam
The army has suspended a sergeant major who is absent without leave and is wanted by police for allegedly hacking the personal data of 55 million Thais.
Maj Gen Sirichan Ngathong, deputy spokeswoman, said "SM2 Khemarat's unit" suspended him on April 7 because he had been AWOL since April 3.
The suspect works at the Army Transportation Department as a driver.
The suspension followed the issuing of an arrest warrant for the sergeant major, who is wanted for computer crime, Maj Gen Sirichan said.
She repeated that the army was trying its best to find the suspect, and that the offence was a personal matter and not part of any military operation.
Accordnig to police, the sergeant had acquired the personal data - names, surnames, addresses, birthdates, ID card numbers and telephone numbers - from the Mor Prom application . His wife was a nurse who had access to the database.
The Public Health Ministry intitally launched Mor Prom during the epidemic to facilitate implementation of Covid-19 controls, and it was later further developed for use as health service portal.
