Thai webmaster makes court appearance

The webmaster of two banned websites in Thailand charged with lese majeste and violating the Computer Crime Act showed up for his first court appearance on 9 August 2010, the Thai Netizen Network said.

According to independent online news website Prachatai.com, Thanthawut Thaweewarodomkul, said to be the webmaster of www.norporchorUSA.com  and www.norporchorUSA2.com had been in detention for more than four months. He was arrested on 1 April 2010. His request for bail during investigation was denied and he had not been given access to a lawyer at the time.

He only met his lawyer in the courtroom on 9 August. It was said that Thanthawut is having difficulties gathering witnesses as they are apprehensive that they themselves might get into trouble, with Bangkok and at least eight other provinces in Thailand still under a state of emergency.

"Norporchor" is the Thai abbreviation of United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, a major faction within the anti-government Red Shirt movement, which staged a three-month protest rally in the capital that culminated in a violent dispersal and subsequent rioting on 19 May.