Senator caught looking at iPhone porn

A senator was photographed looking at a pornography on his iPhone during a special senate meeting on Friday.

The pictures were taken by a photographer from Naewna newspaper and showed a member of the Senate looking at an image of a woman with bare bottom on his smart phone.  

The man caught in the pictures was believed to be Krabi senator Pinyo Sainui.

This is the second time in less than a month that members of parliament have been caught by photographers viewing inappropriate pictures during meetings.

On Aug 17, Pheu Thai MP for Nong Khai Pongpan Sunthornchai was caught viewing photos of a barely-dressed woman on his iPad during a parliamentary debate. He admitted seeing the pictures, but claimed he accidentally clicked a link that downloaded the images.

Senator Pinyo was taking part in a session to deliberate the fate of former information and communication technology minister Surapong Suebwonglee and former ICT permanent secretary, Kraisorn Pornsuthi, at the time the photos were taken.

The pair were earlier this year found guilty of malfeasance in relation to an amendment of a concession to allow Shin Corp to reduce its minimum shareholding in its satellite affiliate Shin Satellite, now renamed Thaicom. The change meant Shin Corp - the major shareholder of Shin Satellite, controlled by Thaksin Shinawatra and his family while he held public office - reduced its investment burden, benefitting the organisation. 

Mr Pinyo admitted that he viewed a picture on his iPhone during the Senate session, but said that it was a photograph of his niece. 

He told reporters he wanted to hold a press conference about the matter, adding that he was not sure if the man caught in the photograph was him.

When asked to explain why the tie of the man in the picture matched the one he was wearing, he refused to answer and walked away from reporters.

Later, Mr Pinyo asked parliamentary staff for permission to use a press conference room, but then changed his mind, saying he was “not ready to hold a press briefing yet”.