The cybercrime police's morning raid on the house of an online journalist, following a complaint filed by former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has drawn harsh criticism from critics and the public alike.
At around 7am yesterday, armed with a warrant, a group of about ten anti-cybercrime officers went to the house of Yaiyika Athikuptanawat, in the Taling Chan area of Bangkok. Yaiyika is a journalist for ‘The Critic’ programme, which streams online on the Thai Move Institute channel.
The warrant states that Yaiyika is wanted as a witness in a complaint, filed by Thaksin’s lawyer, concerning the dissemination of false information via a computer system.
The journalist was taken to the Cybercrime Bureau’s office on Chaeng Wattana Road.
Warong Dechgitvigrom, chairman of the Thai Pakdee party described the raid as a sign that the "Thaksin Regime" has returned.
Writing on his Facebook page, Warong called the raid “ridiculous”, noting that Yaiyika is merely an anchor for a YouTube program, but was still sued by Thaksin.
Moreover, he said, the raid involved an excessive number of police officers, despite the fact that she was only wanted as a witness.
"Judging by the number of officers involved, it looked like they were raiding a scam call centre. They claimed they were only inviting her in for questioning but, to me, it seems more like an attempt to intimidate a journalist," he said.
"This is the return of the Thaksin Regime which, in the past, was known for threatening those who held different opinions," Warong said.
Meanwhile former senator Somchai Sawangkarn posted on his Facebook page, asking whether the raid was excessive for a journalist wanted only as a witness and "Did the national police chief know about the raid? Who ordered them to do this? Is this meant to intimidate the media?"
Meanwhile, Virute Sirisawasdibutr, secretary general of the Institute for Justice Reform, said that, although the raid was conducted with a court warrant summoning the journalist as a witness, it is now being criticised as an act of intimidation against a journalist critical of the government or those associated with it.
"In fact, there are many other criminal cases where the police have not shown this level of urgency in investigating and gathering evidence."
Virute, a retired police colonel, stated that a witness should have been treated with more respect and dignity.
