Computer Crime Act saves Thailand from online strippers and dancing schoolgirls

Now we know at least one purpose of Thailand’s controversial Computer Crime Act. Forget hackers, terrorists, dissenters and royal insults: the act is also there to protect Thailand 4.0 from OTT video strippers and dancing schoolgirls.

Thai authorities have reportedly charged a woman with violating the Computer Crime Act for stripping on Facebook Live. They have also charged another schoolgirl for “seductive dancing” on Facebook Live.

The Ministry of Justice’s Technology Crime Suppression Division has charged the stripper –who goes by the name of Maple – of two counts of violating Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act (2007). She faces a maximum of ten years in prison if convicted.

It was reported that she did it only to gain “likes” on the social media platform.

Yes, there is a line in Section 14 that covers live online stripping. Here’s the text of the law – see if you can spot it.

Section 14. If any person commits any offence of the following acts shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand baht or both:

1. that involves import to a computer system of forged computer data, either in whole or in part, or false computer data, in a manner that is likely to cause damage to that third party or the public;

2. that involves import to a computer system of false computer data in a manner that is likely to damage the country’s security or cause a public panic;

3. that involves import to a computer system of any computer data related with an offence against the Kingdom’s security under the Criminal Code;

4. that involves import to a computer system of any computer data of a pornographic nature that is publicly accessible;

5. that involves the dissemination or forwarding of computer data already known to be computer data under (1) (2) (3) or (4).

Meanwhile, a Grade 12 schoolgirl who has not been named has also been charged with Section 14(4) of the Computer Crime Act for “dancing seductively” on Facebook Live. Officials prosecuting the girl said that the fact that she did it in her school uniform made the case more serious.