Arrest warrant for ASTV webmaster
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THE MILITARY court of Bangkok yesterday granted a police request for an arrest warrant for the webmaster of the news website ASTV-Manager for publishing a fabricated palace statement online.
Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday that an warrant had been issued for Niran Yaowapha, who is charged with lese majeste and violating the Computer Crime Act.
On Monday night, ASTV-Manager published the fake document briefly on its website before pulling it off shortly afterwards. Niran later went to Chana Songkhram police station to say that the report was removed after the statement was found to be fake.
A 26-year-old man who shared the forged statement on social media was arrested on Wednesday and being detained in a Bangkok military camp. The man is linked to the red shirts, who are major supporters of the Pheu Thai Party.
Police believe the document was falsified in Thailand and are trying to trace the people who created it.
