Chulalongkorn University student 'confesses' to hacking Thai PM's Twitter account

The student was identified as Ekkawit Thongdeeworakul, 22, a resident of the southern province of Songkhla who is studying in a Bangkok university.

He was tracked down by a joint investigative team consisting of information technology experts from the information and communication technology ministry and the police's Technology Crime Suppression Division, according to ICT Minister Anudith Nakornthap.

While being questioned by police, the student confessed to having hacked into the prime minister's Twitter account (@PouYingluck) on Sunday, the ICT minister said at Wednesday's press conference held jointly with Special Branch Police commissioner Maj-General Panya Mamen.

It took the investigation team only one day to identify the Internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile phone allegedly used by the suspect to fake messages in the PM's Twitter account, according to the ICT minister. The student admitted to committing the offence without any malicious intentions. "He said that he did it alone and he felt remorse," Anudith said.

The student's alleged offence - illegal access to protected computer information - is in violation of Article 7 of the Computer Crime Act of 2007. If found guilty, he is liable to a maximum two years' imprisonment or a fine of no more than 40,000 baht(S$1,700), or both.