Facebook crimes: Watch out

Young woman in Chiang Mai apologizes for insulting police officer on Facebook but still may face penalty & young Thai man faces deportation from Philippines after insulting Filipinos.

Prapanchai Jinapun offers a wai to Pol L/C Pongphan Srithupthim on Wednesday to apologise for a verbal attack on him on her Facebook page. (Photo by Cheewin Sattha)

CRIMINAL DEFAMATION

Facebook crimes: Watch out

Nowadays, a little insulting comment made on a Facebook page in a moment of anger, that you thought was private and would only be seen by friends or the person you insulted, could land you in court and facing a criminal penalty such as jail, a fine or deportation.

Two recent cases have caught public attention.

First, a young woman in Chiang Mai who was rude to a police officer on her Facebook page apologized, but it might not be enough to save her from criminal penalties.

At a checkpoint in Chiang Mai at 3am on Sunday the police stopped a car and the driver was found to have an alcohol level over the legal limit and was charged with the crime of "drink driving" (in the US called "driving under the influence" of alcohol or "DUI").

Ms Prapanchai Jinapun, 19, a passenger in the car, found out the name of the police officer Pongphan Srithupthim and then posted insulting messages to social media calling him a "buffalo" and criticizing him  that he lived off money from the taxpayers. 

The police officer filed a complaint at the police station seeking legal action against the person posting the insulting messages for the crime of "defaming authorities on duty" (criminal defamation).

On Wednesday, the young woman went to meet police chief Police Colonel Weerayuth Prasopchokchai and confessed to posting the insulting messages on social media.

Pol Col Weerayuth took Ms Prapanchai to apologise to the police officer, who accepted the apology, but said this was a criminal case so it must proceed.

Her confession means police will forward the charges to public prosecutors on Thursday.

She later posted a message: "I came here to admit guilt and won't do it again."

Khlong Toey native Prasertsri Kosin, as seen in the profile photo for his “Koko Narak” Facebook page.

In another incident of criminal defamation, a Thai national, Prasertsri Kosin, faces deportation from the Philippines after posting messages that insulted the Filipino people on Facebook.

In a statement, the Bureau of Immigration said it lodged a so-called "undesirability" charge against Prasertsri, who was working in the Philippines, for making a social media posting in which he called Filipinos "pignoys," "stupid  creatures," "low-class slum slaves" and the "useless race in this world." He would be deported if found to be "undesirable."

Mr Prasertsri has since posted an apology, writing "I am very sorry what I've done or posted the racist comments," blaming the offensive comments on "playfulness."  His employer, Cognizant Philippines, said on its own Facebook page it had taken disciplinary action.

https://www.facebook.com/kokotheresa?fref=browse_search
https://www.facebook.com/ASEANCommunity/posts/776748032424179

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/553055/woman-apologises-for-facebook-attack-on-officer

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/552747/thai-faces-deportation-after-insulting-filipinos-online

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