The verdict was read in Courtroom 908 at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Rd in Bangkok yesterday (Mar 10), reports Thai news agency Naewna.
The case was brought by Special Cases Division 1 of the Public Prosecutor’s Office against Pol Sgt Maj Jesada Tipmanee, formerly attached to Phuket Immigration Police.
The court found Jesada guilty of possessing and disseminating child pornography, distributing obscene computer data, and uploading illegal material into a computer system accessible to the public.
According to prosecutors, between Feb 27, 2021 and Dec 3, 2024 the defendant continuously possessed still and video images of child pornography involving five victims under the age of 18.
The court heard that the material was stored and uploaded to a computer system via internet service providers, making it accessible both within Thailand and abroad. The prosecution said the defendant intended the content to be disseminated to others for sexual gratification and for public distribution.
Jesada was also accused of producing, possessing, importing, exporting, transporting or otherwise disseminating child pornography and of knowingly uploading obscene data into a public computer system.
The court convicted the defendant on several counts, including distributing or publicly displaying child pornography and possessing and distributing such material for sexual exploitation.
For distributing child pornography, the court imposed a sentence of three years’ imprisonment and a fine of B120,000. The defendant was also sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of B60,000 for each of three additional counts related to possession and distribution.
Because Jesada confessed to the charges, the court reduced the penalties by half, resulting in a combined sentence reported as four years and 28 months in prison and a total fine of B120,000.
However, the court ordered that the prison sentence be suspended for three years.
As part of the conditions of the suspended sentence, the defendant must report to a probation officer three times within one year and complete 24 hours of community service. The court also ordered that all seized evidence be confiscated.
In its ruling, the court noted that the prosecution’s evidence did not show that the defendant himself took the nude images. Instead, he uploaded images created by others through his own account.
During the trial the defendant paid compensation to four victims in the amount of B25,000 each, after which the victims withdrew further claims in the case. The court also took into account that the defendant had no previous criminal record.
Officials from Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and international law enforcement agencies attended the sentencing hearing as observers.
The case drew significant attention because investigators linked it to the distribution of more than 250,000 files of child pornography.
Pol Lt Col Khemchat Prakaihongmani, Director of the Technology and Information Crime Division at the DSI, attended the hearing along with a team of investigators.
Representatives from the Australian Federal Police and agents from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation were also present.
The DSI expanded its investigation in cooperation with several international agencies, including the Australian Federal Police, the FBI, US Homeland Security Investigations, INTERPOL, the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs and authorities in European Union countries.
Authorities said the joint investigation targeted a transnational online network involved in the circulation of child sexual abuse material.
Pol Lt Gen Ruttapol Naowarat, Minister of Justice, said the government places strong emphasis on combating technology-related crimes, particularly those involving the sexual exploitation of children.
He said the Ministry of Justice had instructed the DSI to carry out thorough and ongoing investigations to protect children and young people and to dismantle international criminal networks involved in such offences.
The investigation remains part of broader international efforts to track and suppress online child exploitation networks, officials said.