Pattaya suspects arrested for live streaming breaking curfew

Last night a couple in Pattaya was arrested for allegedly live streaminging themselves singing while driving a motorbike past the mandatory curfew time.

Administrative Chief Officer Phochai Sangeiad says a team from the Bang Lamung district set up a night-time checkpoint in front of Pattaya’s walking street. Phochai tells Thai media that they arrested 44 year old Paiboon Butwong, who was driving, and his passenger, 44 year old Jantana Butsurin when they got to the checkpoint around midnight, or just 3 hours past the 9 pm to 4 am curfew.

The Chief Officer says Paiboon had a mobile phone in his hand while he live streamed what he was up to onto his Facebook and Youtube accounts. However, Phochai says Paiboon claimed he was just out looking to get some food. The officer’s assessment is that Paiboon was really just trying to impress his viewers.

He adds that the couple couldn’t present the proper permission document that would allow them outside of their accommodation after their curfew. The officer did not specify what songs they were live streaming.

The couple was taken to the Pattaya City Police Station on charges of breaking the curfew law, and possibly charges of violating the emergency decree and the communicable disease act. Phochai says they could even face jail time. He did not say whether the jail would have streaming capabilities or whether it would be too loud to properly record singing.

Last month, “bar girls” were also arrested for live streaming. Albeit, they weren’t breaking curfew just getting together in groups that were deemed too big. The number of people, not the size of the girls, that is. On the first night of Curfew, 299 people were arrested. It was not reported if their curfew violations had anything to do with social media.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News