Thai politician facing jail for attacking junta 'sexism'

Watana Muangsook a prominent figure in the Pheu Thai party that was toppled by the 2014 army takeover is being prosecuted under the country’s computer crimes law which bans spreading false information digitally.

The charge relates to a Facebook post Watana wrote attacking the Thai junta’s deputy leader for saying that soldiers continued to photograph Yingluck two years after she was toppled from office because she is good looking.

“The soldiers took photos of Ms Yingluck probably because she is pretty” General Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters. “It’s not a big deal. Don’t think too much about it or be anxious about it.”

In his post calling on the military to cease monitoring of Thailand’s first female prime minister Watana said it was “unbelievable to hear such comments” by Prawit.

“They were sexist comments” he added.

The junta reacted with fury to Watana’s post. Read More