<p dir="ltr">Hacktivists posted online Tuesday documents they say contradict army denials it has purchased decryption devices that would allow access to encrypted computer traffic.</p>

<p dir="ltr">A civil society group has called on people to engage in a social media campaign to prevent the junta’s lawmakers to pass the new draconian Computer Crime Bill.</p>

<p dir="ltr">It has been nine years since the Computer Crime Act (CCA) was promulgated in the wake of the 2006 coup to control the netizens in Thailand. Many websites have been blocked, often permanently without due process or remedy; and many internet users have unjustifiably faced criminal prosecution for expressing their opinion online. Now, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) appointed by the 2014 coup-makers is considering amendments to the law as one of its primary agenda.</p>

<p dir="ltr">After tasking the Army Cyber Centre with a lèse majesté hunt, the Thai government has claimed it has blocked about 900 URLs with content deemed insulting to the Thai Monarchy or threatening to national security.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 2 October 2016, ACM Prajin Janthong, a deputy minister and caretaker Minister for Digital Economy and Society (DE), said that so far the centre has blocked 200 URLs with content allegedly violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, in accordance with the junta’s order.</p>

<p>The deputy head of the junta has urged police officers to increase their surveillance of social media as the public referendum on the controversial junta-sponsored draft constitution is drawing near.</p>

<p dir="ltr">In a move to discipline netizens, the Thai police has set up millions of baht of budget to purchase a new software to monitor social media. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.blognone.com/node/77066">Blognone News</a>,The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) of the Royal Thai Police has announced a &nbsp;bidding to purchase a software to monitor facebook, twitter, and Pantip.com. a Thai-language website discussion forum.</p>

<p>Authoritarianism as a form of government has been analyzed in some depth by the political scientist Juan Linz, and the relevant <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism">Wikipedia page</a> provides four qualities of such governments according to Linz:</p> <p>(1) "limited, not responsible, political pluralism"; that is, constraints on political institutions and groups (such as legislatures, political parties and interest groups),</p>

<p>Following revelations by WikiLeaks that the Thai authorities allegedly purchased a surveillance programme from an Italian firm, further leaked documents show that staff from the IT firm went to Thailand’s Deep South to deliver certain products. &nbsp;</p>

<div>The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Udon Thani Environmental Conservation Group about the intensification of ongoing threats and surveillance of human rights defenders who are members of the group. They have been engaged in a long-standing struggle for community participation in decisions about potash mining in Udon Thani province. </div>

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa0ddf29-15d6-7bef-befc-6015a37035ff">Thailand’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) is developing and testing software to intercept internet communications which uses a secure protocol in order to better intercept and block lèse majesté content, according to a leaked document. &nbsp;</span></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-df4a70bf-7f79-506c-8816-83c8678cb9e9">The Thai authorities have denied reports that they are intercepting a popular smartphone chat application to hunt down lèse majesté suspects.</span></p>

<p><a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1410445125&amp;typecate=06&amp;section=">Khaosod English</a> - &nbsp;Thailand's junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that suppression of a suspected anti-monarchy network will be a top priority of his administration, adding that the government will use all means, including&nbsp;telecommunications and information technology to crack down on lèse majesté.</p>