A well-known Thai Rath cartoonist turned himself in yesterday to face charges of defaming the prime minister.
Somchai Katanyutanan, who is better known as Chai Ratchawat, met with Pol Maj Gen Anuchai Lekbamrung, deputy metropolitan police commissioner, to answers to the charges of having defamed a government official while she was carrying our her duty, defaming a person via an advertisement as well as violating the Computer Crime Act.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra filed the complaint with police against Somchai after he drew a cartoon and posted it on his Facebook wall, calling the prime minister a betrayer of the country who was worse than a prostitute.
Somchai denied the charges and refused to testify to interrogators, saying he would submit his written statement to police at a later date.
A group of people turned up in front of the Metropolitan Police head office to provide moral support to Somchai. Two companies of policemen were deployed to keep security.
Anuchai said the police released Somchai after he acknowledged the charges. He said Somchai had his right to deny the charges and he had promised to submit a statement in his defence..