Angkana filed a complaint at Bang Yi Ruea Police Station to prosecute Facebook pages fabricating false news and inciting hate speech that threatens her life, emphasizing she never posted about the shooting of five paramilitary rangers in Narathiwat.
At 10:30 a.m. on 31 Jul 2026, Angkana Neelapaijit, a senator and human rights defender, went to Bang Yi Ruea Metropolitan Police Station to file a complaint with investigators against several individuals and social media pages who distorted information, spread false messages, and incited hate speech, leading to threats against her safety and life.
Angkana revealed that the complaint was prompted by someone editing and sharing false statements she never made, falsely claiming she commented on the violence in the southern border provinces involving the shooting of five paramilitary rangers who died, plus civilian and child injuries. In truth, she never expressed opinions or posted anything about the incident, neither publicly nor on her personal social media.
“I am deeply concerned that hateful words may lead to hate crimes. The distortion of facts and fake news directly threaten my safety and that of my family, undermining human dignity and causing harm. Whenever violence occurs in the south, I am usually the first to be targeted, despite having previously won a civil suit against the Internal Operations (IO) of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC),” Angkana said.
Angkana added that she had previously submitted a complaint to the Royal Thai Police but never received updates. Today, she filed a complaint at Bang Yi Ruea Police Station, her local jurisdiction, requesting police to investigate the source of the false information. The charges include inputting false data into computer systems, defamation, harassment, and inciting hatred. She questioned the state agency responsible for cybercrime about measures to prevent online harassment and protect citizens and human rights defenders seriously.
She acknowledged her worry that the distortion of her words could increase hatred in the three southern border provinces and threaten her personal safety. The ISOC holds full authority to address issues in the south, and government agencies are responsible for solutions. As someone who has worked in human rights since serving on the National Human Rights Commission and working in the area for a long time, she affirmed she did not comment on the incident. Yet every time something happens, she is targeted. People who do not follow the news might mistakenly believe she made such statements, causing her great concern that hateful words could result in crimes.
Furthermore, these actions diminish human dignity and cause devaluation. She has filed civil lawsuits against the ISOC before, with courts confirming ISOC's involvement in information operations. Although she has submitted complaints to the police, no progress has been reported, and she continues to face harassment. Whenever incidents occur, she is always the first target.
Regarding remarks from high-ranking officials implying her involvement in the incident, Angkana said it was unbelievable and questioned the source of their information and whether they verified facts before commenting. Such statements have been widely shared and appear to be political discrediting. She urged the government, especially the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, to act promptly as the harassment persists.
“Normally, I am not someone who sues over minor issues, but this time I am quite concerned because there have been calls for extrajudicial killing or enforced disappearance.” Angkana said.
Angkana concluded that she previously reported harassment cases to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), whose officers advised her to first file a complaint at the local police station before involving TCSD if beyond their capacity. After today’s complaint, she expects to meet TCSD officials again and questioned what the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has done so far to protect citizens’ rights and freedoms.