<div>A hacker has been detained for allegedly launching attacks against government websites in response to the passage of the Criminal Crimes Act amendment.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 28 December 2016, the Criminal Court of Justice granted police officers custody over Natdanai Khongdi, age 19, a suspect in the attacks on government websites that came after amendments to the controversial Computer Crimes Act, <a href="https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_162975">reported</a> Khaosod.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The case’s police investigators asked the court to reject any bail i </div>

<div>Representatives from both the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties have called for the promulgation of the recently amended Computer Crimes Act to be delayed, so that its controversial changes can be rethought.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>For Surapong Tovichakchaikul, a leader of the Pheu Thai party, the Computer Crimes Act will never succeed in preventing netizens from using technology and the internet for dissenting purposes.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Amendments to the Act that were unanimously approved by Thailand’s junta-appointed legislature, the National Legislative Assembly, </div>

<div> <div>A series of cyber-attacks have been launched against Thai government websites in response to the recent passage of the Computer Crime Act, which will strengthen state censorship power and online surveillance.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> </div> <div>After the junta’s rubber-stamp National Legislative Assembly (NLA)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/6785">approved the amendment to the controversial Computer Crimes Act</a> on 16 December, various government websites have been shut down by cyber-attacks.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Various actors have claimed responsibility for </div>

<p>AT a street corner in Kamayut Township, Yangon, a young man does what would be seen as freakish in his country just three or four years ago – he lowers his head, fixes his eyes on his smart phone, swipes the screen and smiles at it.</p> <p></p>