The junta’s lawmakers have gotten an unanimous decision to increase sentence of the Computer Crime Act and establish a committee to handle lawsuits under the Act, bypassing the court process.
On Friday, 29 April 2016, BBC Thai reported that, National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the junta appointed lawmakers, gave a greenlight to the amendment of the Computer Crime Act.
The NLA got an unanimous decision in an urgent meeting, with 160 approves and 3 abstains, to pass the amendment, making the Act’s maximum punishment increased to up to 20 years jail term and 400,000 baht fine.
Previously, the heaviest sentence of the Act was up to 15 years jail term and up to 300,000 baht fine.
According to BBC Thai, this amendment was proposed by the junta’s cabinet.
Thai News Agency reported that Uttama Sawanayon, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, said that the amendment also included the establishment of a three-member committee with the authority to indicate the punishment of those cases under the Act without court’s consideration.
“If person violates the Act, involving computer system and national security issue, the punishment will be up to 5 years jail term and up to 300,000 baht fine. But if such violation is so severe that it leads to a loss of someone’s life, the punishment will be up to 20 years jail term and up to 400,000 baht fine,” Thai News Agency quoted Uttama as saying.