Ex-minister Wattana refuses to be quiet despite charges
FORMER COMMERCE minister Wattana Muangsuk yesterday insisted that he would continue to express his opinion because he has the legal right to do so.
He was speaking after reporting to court yesterday, where he is fighting charges of committing computer crimes, which carry a punishment of five years in prison. Wattana is currently free on bail.
The politician was charged after posting on Facebook early this month that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was “sexist”.
He was taken from his home on March 3 by Army officials and detained at a military base for an “attitude adjustment” session before being interrogated by police.
Police sought the court’s permission yesterday to hold Wattana for a second round of detention from March 15 to 26. The court ordered Wattana to report back on March 26.
“Everyone in the world has the right to speak and if anyone speaks beyond the scope of the law, there is the law to deal with him or her. Since there will be a public referendum on the charter, people must be given the right to speak,’’ Wattana said.
He insisted that what he had posted on Facebook was the truth but admitted that fighting the charges would be difficult.
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