The Thai authorities have detained youths who allegedly carried out DDoS attacks to cripple the government websites in order to protest against the controversial new Computer Crime Bill.
On 21 December 2016, Somsak Khaosuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), revealed that currently the police have detained youths who were allegedly involved in carrying out Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) on websites of public ministries and agencies.
The attacks were carried out to protest against the new Computer Crime Bill, which the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) recently passed.
The attacked left several public websites, such as Police Region 1 Training Centre, the Thai Government, the Royal Gazette, the Ministry of Defense and the Royal Thai Navy crippled. Most of the websites are now back online though some remain unavailable.
Somsak said that the authorities will not press charge against the youths, but will lecture them before releasing them.
On the same day, Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, told media that the new Computer Crime Bill is best suited with the current digital development of the country, the Thai PBS reported.
The bill is necessary for sustainable development of the country’s digital economy, said Pichet.
According to Thai Netizen Network (TNN), a civil society organisation promoting internet freedom, the bill increases the scope of state censorship and threatens online privacy as the bill greatly shortens the process to for the authorities to block internet concents.
Under Article 20 of the new bill, the authorities will be able to block or delete online content while the MDES will establish a centre whose task is to block and delete online content, TNN pointed out.
Under the 2007 Computer Crime Act, there are three steps required to block internet contents. The authorities will have to obtain court orders and then present court orders to the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to close or block websites.
In addition, Article 14 of the bill sets a penalty of up to five years in prison for spreading false computer data or information which could threaten national security, public infrastructures and morale, is broad enough to criminalise any dissenting or critical idea posted online on platforms as innocent as a Facebook comments.