A teenager in southern Thailand has accused a transwoman of creating a fake Facebook account to post a lèse majesté message.
On 25 October 2016, Natthakan (surname withheld due to privacy concerns), 17-year-old woman, filed a complaint to Kantang District Police Station of southern province of Trang.
She reported that images of her holding a pistol along with a message deemed defamatory to the Thai Monarchy were posted in a Facebook account titled ‘Nubowwee Rak Piommee’.
The Facebook account was created on the same day that the alleged lèse majesté message was posted.
Natthakan said that many people responded with the post with harsh comments against her and that it was also shared by many people without knowing that it was not her Facebook account.
She told the police that she believed that the Facebook post was published by Nin (surname withheld due to privacy concerns), a 29-year-old transwoman whom her boyfriend had an affair with.
Nattakan added that her boyfriend and Nin used to have an argument to the point that they filed complaints against each other to the police.
On the same day, the police brought Nin to the police station for interrogation. She denied the accusation.
So far Pol Lt Col Narong Sankue, local interrogative police officer, confiscated mobile phones of both Nattakan and Nin.
He said that three to four more witnesses will be summoned as the Facebook post is deemed as violation of Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, and the 2007 Computer Crime Act.
Kamol Prasertkul, District chief of Kantang, also joined the investigation.
He said that he worries about the safety of the accused because many people could be outraged by such lèse majesté Facebook, adding that the authorities will monitor the situation closely.
Public concern over vigilantism has spiked in the aftermath of mass protests in front of homes of people accused of lèse majesté shortly after the death of King Bhumibol.
The first of such incidents occurred in the southern province of Phuket, followed by Phang Nga and Surat Thani, before spreading out to other regions. The mobs’ goals are generally arresting the victim, expelling them from the area or forcing them to kneel and apologise in front of the late King’s portrait.
The Facebook post with a message deemed defamatory to the Thai Monarchy and images of Natthakan