Website attackers warned of legal penalty

BANGKOK, October 5 (TNA) - Attackers who plan to disable the Thai government's websites again and those who pass on their invitations are considered violating laws and will face legal punishment. Paiboon Amornpinyokiat, an expert on Internet-related laws, issued his warning on Monday amid invitations for computer-based actions to protest against the Thai government’s plan to create a single international Internet gateway. Paiboon stressed that the invitations violate Sections 10 and 12 of Thailand's Computer Crime Act because they would disrupt the operations of other parties’ computer systems, cause damage to computer systems and data and jeopardize public safety. According to the expert, such violators are liable to a jail term of 3-15 years and a fine of 60,000-300,000 baht each. The expert asked the general public to refrain from forwarding any invitation of such computer attacks, which would damage the Thai government's computer systems, suggesting that they express opinions appropriately instead. Last week, attackers simultaneously accessed to the Thai government's websites, causing a temporary collapse of the official online services. (TNA)