Man arrested for lese majesty SMSs

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Man arrested for lese majesty SMSs
Published: 3/08/2010 at 12:44 PM
Bangkok Post: Online news: Crimes

Crime Suppression Division police on Tuesday arrested a 60-year-old man for sending SMS messages considered offensive to the monarchy to many important people, including Prime Minister Abhisith Vejjajiva.

Ampol Tangnopkul was arrested at his house in tambon Khlong San in Samut Prakan's Bang Bo district with three mobile phones in his possession.

Pol Lt-Gen Tha-ngai Prassachaksatru, chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, said Mr Ampol was apprehended after police and officials of the Information and Communication Technology Ministry investigated and found that he had sent the offensive messages.

Mr Ampol denied he had sent the messages, but admitted owning the mobile phones which he said had not been used for a long time.

Pol Lt-Gen Tha-ngai said since the man did not have an occupation and it was unusual for him to have telephone numbers of important people in the country, it was possible he had been used by some other people.

Mr Ampol had been blacklisted as a hard-core member of the red shirts of Samut Prakan province by the Internal Security Operations Command, the officer said.

Sources said it was alleged Mr Ampol had sent similar messages four times to Mr Abhisit between May 9 and 12, and to some other cabinet members, and to Tul Srisomwong, leader of the multi-colour group.