Today, updated information has been revealed concerning a prominent case pursued by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). The case involves a notorious university student turning a profit by disseminating explicit child content via the Line platform. Prices for the illicit material were set between 150 and 500 baht (US$4 to US$14), and the target demographic was minors less than 18 years old. The DSI’s Technology and Information Case Department initiated the investigation yesterday.
The accused student under investigation was discovered to be selling explicit child content via the Line platform. His arrest follows an operation carried out in mid-August, when the Child Sexual Exploitation Crime Center (CSECC), under the leadership of Deputy Director of the Technology and Information Case Department, Yotsan Rungsrangamsiri, arrested a 19-year-old male student from a university in Pathum Thani.
The young man was caught red-handed with an enormous cache of explicit child content, exceeding 5,000 files. The graphic files depict children from primary to secondary school, all dressed in school uniforms, and were dispersed through the Line platform, according to a report by KhaoSod.
As a result of his actions, the DSI has charged the suspect with possessing explicit child content, either for personal sexual gratification, for business-related purposes or for distribution. Under Articles 287/1 and 287/2 of the Thai Penal Code, and the Computer Crime Act, B.E. 2550 (2007), his actions could land him in prison for a term ranging between 3 to 10 years, or face a steep fine between 60,000 to 200,000 baht.
Through extensive investigations, the DSI discovered that the Line platform under scrutiny boasted a large user base, with substantial amounts of money changing hands. The investigation uncovered links to several other people who also possessed explicit child content, either for their selfish gratification or for business-interests. Consequently, the DSI has vowed to continue and expand the scope of the investigation.
The general public is cautioned that possessing explicit child content for one’s personal sexual pleasure is a crime punishable with imprisonment for 5 to 7 years or a hefty fine of up to 140,000 baht. If the material is intended for commercial purposes or for distribution, the punishment is increased to a prison term of between 3 and 10 years or a fine of 60,000 to 200,000 baht under Articles 287/1 and 287/2 of the Thai Penal Code.
The DSI encourages anyone with details or proof of child sexual exploitation or the distribution of explicit child content to report it to the competent authorities for stringent action. Reports can be made directly on the DSI’s homepage at www.dsi.go.th or by calling on the DSI’s hotline, 1202, a toll-free service accessible nationwide.
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