He said such posts could cause rifts and be a threat to the Thai economy. Posting information which is inaccurate and false could breach Article 14 of the Computer Crime Act, which carries a penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a B100,000 fine, or both.
The commissioner’s legal action threat came after he brought the influential village headman of Koh Tao, Woraphan “Phuyai Wo” Toovichien and his son, Varot, to a press conference yesterday morning to “show their sincerity” by allowing the police to take samples from Varot for DNA tests.
Phuyai Wo arrived in Bangkok from Koh Tao to seek justice for his son Varot after he was accused in social networks of being connected with the murders of British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on September 15.
A post on the Internet which was widely shared suggested that Varot had fled the island immediately after the murders took place, and alleging that the photograph his lawyer had produced to prove he was not in Koh Tao but in a Bangkok hostel on the night of the murder was retouched.
Police investigators were also criticised for not requiring a DNA test of Varot.
Phukyai Wo said the accusation has badly tarnished his family and damaged his business. Therefore he wanted to bring his son to meet the police commissioner to clear himself by having the DNA test done.
He insisted again that his family and his son were not involved in the murders, as widely alleged on social networks.
Gen Somyot said that the police did not initially collect a DNA sample from Varot during the investigation because there was evidence that he was not in Koh Tao on the night of the murder.
But to clear all allegations, he said, Varot’s father wanted to prove his son’s innocence by willingly offering the DNA test.
Result of the test are expected to be known today.
But Gen Somyot made it clear that the DNA test on Varot would have no impact on the police case which has been completed, with all circumstantial and forensic evidence submitted to the prosecutor for indictment of the two Myanmar suspects.
He said that the police knew who posted all the false information, which he said was intended to discredit the Royal Thai Police and the government.
He said he has assigned the Computer Crime Suppression Police to investigate and bring the poster to trial.
Gen Somyot’s warning echoed that of Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin, who was brought in to tidy up the case.
Gen Paween, who has been transferred off the Phuket mafia investigation to take up a post as Deputy Commissioner for Police Region 8, told The Phuket News that posting false information on social media put the poster in danger of prosecution.
“Posting or commenting on social media may seem like a lot of fun,” he said, “but it is not so much fun when you are summoned by police to answer criminal charges.”