BANGKOK, May 10 – A man suspected of hacking into the website of the Prime Minister’s Office and posting messages insulting the premier surrendered to police this morning, denying the allegation saying he is ready to cooperate with the police investigation.
Narongrit Suksarn, a 29-year-old native of the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, reported to Pol Maj Gen Pisit Pao-in, chief of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD). He pleaded his innocence and claimed that he was smeared by the “Unlimited Hack Team,” a group of hackers to which he formerly belonged but now is no longer a member.
The Unlimited Hack Team earlier posted a message on its Facebook page denying any involvement in the hacking.
Mr Narongrit said his surrender was meant to prove his innocence. He also offered to help police with technology to improve the security of the system from hacking.
The suspect’s home and his computer was to be checked thoroughly by the police to collect possible evidence, Gen Pisit said.
About 20 hackers are being targetted by the police investigation as they have potential to intrude into the servers of many websites, according to the TCSD chief.
The police have not yet found any clues indicating that a major political party was behind the hacking, as had been alleged.
The homepage of the Prime Minister’s Office website was hacked on Wednesday and the hacker left disdainful messages in parody of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Democrat Party leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva voiced his support for the government to take legal action against the wrongdoer in the hacking case. He also urged the government to take similar action against other offenders in computer-related cases.
Mr Abhisit brushed aside an attempt to link his party with the suspect who is a resident of Nakhon Si Thammarat, a major stronghold of the Democrat party. He urged the police investigators to proceed with the case in a straightforward manner.
