<p>On 9 Feb, an investigator from the Technological Crimes Suppression Division (TCSD) testified in court as a prosecution witness in the case of Thanthawut Thaweewarodomkul, the alleged NorPorChorUSA administrator.</p>

<p>The Thai authorities should drop all charges against human rights defender and web forum moderator Chiranuch Premchaiporn, whose trial continues this week, Amnesty International said today.</p>

<p><span lang="EN-GB">The latest edition of The Economist has been refused distribution in Thailand by its distributor due to improper content.</span></p>

<p>Chiranuch Premchaiporn's trial over computer crime charges began yesterday and attracted some 40 supporters and observers, all of whom are interested to see how this case against the freedom of expression pans out. The accused is the director of the non-profit online newspaper Prachatai.com.</p>

<p>The trial has begun in the Criminal Court of Thanthawut Thaweewarodomkul, allegedly the administrator of www.norporchorusa.com.</p> <p><em>(Note: some changes have been made and more details added to the news report)</em></p>

<p>The trial of the Prachatai Director started with testimony from an official from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology as a prosecution witness.&nbsp; About 40 Thais and foreigners attended the hearing.</p>

<p>The criminal court will conduct the witness hearings on the case of Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn from 4 to 17 February 2010. Ms. Chiranuch will appear as the defendant, while the Office of the Special Attorney on Criminal Case 8 which is under Office of the Attorney-General will appear as the prosecutor. This case deals with the penalty related to the intermediary under the Section 15 of the Computer Crime Act which is related to supporting or consenting to an offence related to national security within a computer system under the intermediary’s control.<br /></p>

<p>The Criminal Court has dropped the case against a woman alleged to have posted offensive messages on the Prachatai webboard in 2008, citing inconclusive evidence, thus giving her the benefit of the doubt.&nbsp; </p>

<p>Amphon Tangnoppakul has been denied bail yet again by the Appeals Court after he was indicted and sent to Bangkok Remand Prison last week.</p>

<p>Amphon Tangnoppakul, 61, has been detained without bail after being indicted by the public prosecutor for l&egrave;se majest&eacute;. </p>

<p>Small leftist groups such as Social Move often get ignored alongside the bigger political actors, such as the yellow and red-shirt movements, and rarely get media exposure. Their ideological commitment is clear, however. Key Social Move member Saowalux Pongam talks to The Nation's Pravit Rojanaphruk about the left and politics. Excerpts:</p> <p><strong>What is the political standing of Social Move?</strong></p>

<p>Now that tens of thousands of you have re-grouped to continue the struggle against the old order, take a few moments to consider my advice, which I hope will be useful to you and society at large.</p>