In June, Thailand’s Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Angkhana Neelaphaijit, a Thai woman human rights defender and former member of the country’s National Human Rights Commission, and Anchana Heemmina, a human rights defender and the founder of the non-profit Duay Jai Group, in a case involving a state-sponsored online disinformation campaign against them.
The two defenders brought the legal case in November 2020, after Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), a state agency under direct supervision of the prime minister, shared their photographs online with false and misleading headlines designed to discredit their work and damage their reputations.
The Court found that individuals affiliated with ISOC Region 4 Command, the primary coordination entity in charge of security operations in Thailand’s southern border provinces, were responsible for the online disinformation campaign and that their conduct constituted misconduct by a state institution. In its ruling, the court ordered ISOC to remove all harmful content against the two within seven days, and to pay 120,000 baht ($3,600) to Angkhana, and 90,000 baht ($2,700) to Anchana.
Country Context: Thailand
According to the Human Rights Foundation (HRF)’s Tyranny Tracker, Thailand is ruled by a hybrid authoritarian regime in which freedom of expression and peaceful assembly remain under threat. Courts regularly side with the government and the military‑aligned executive rather than acting as an independent check on power. The monarchy is a venerated institution that enjoys virtual immunity while it maintains close ties with the military, which has repeatedly intervened in civilian politics. The king’s significant influence over political institutions has resulted in growing scrutiny from rights defenders and pro-reform advocates.
Thailand has one of the world’s strictest royal defamation (lèse-majesté) laws, and the country’s repression of dissent is especially pronounced when it comes to any criticism of the monarchy. Independent media, political leaders, civil society organizations, and regular people are seriously and unfairly hindered in their ability to openly criticize or challenge the regime.
What Is the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC)?
The ISOC has been described as a “socio-political arm” of the Thai military. First established in 1965 as the Communist Suppression Operations Command, it was founded to counter communist groups and conduct counterintelligence operations. Renamed to the International Security Operations Command (ISOC) in 1974, its mission was later changed to combat “dangers” to national security after the Cold War.
Under the 2008 Act on Internal Security, ISOC operates as a special government agency under the Office of the Prime Minister, with the prime minister also serving as its director. The Act grants ISOC powers to monitor and investigate people, support government activities, and “encourage people to be aware of their duty in upholding nation, religion, and king.”
Civil society organizations have criticized ISOC for conducting alleged online attacks against human rights defenders who advocate against human rights violations, including activists in the Deep South, where members of the Malay Muslim minority have alleged torture and ill-treatment in detention amid ongoing tensions between the Thai regime and insurgent groups.
ISOC has previously sought to censor information that is critical of the military. In September 2024, ISOC called for the suspension of the Thai translation of a book by academic and political scientist Puangthong Pawakapan, which explores the Thai military’s role in influencing civilian affairs, promoting ultra-royalism, and maintaining political order. ISOC threatened legal action against the author, claiming that it contained misinformation and harmed ISOC’s reputation.
Criticism of ISOC has not changed its practices or position. Despite ongoing calls for either its dissolution or a reduction in its budget, the government has continued to fund ISOC generously year after year. Notably, from 2013 to 2023, the agency reportedly received a stunning total of more than 100 billion Thai baht (almost three billion USD).
A Pattern of Digital Smear Campaigns
The attempts to smear Angkhana Neelaphaijit and Anchana Heemmina are only part of the government’s broader pattern of online harassment against dissidents. In Thailand, state-sponsored disinformation operations seek to influence public opinion, target human rights activists and opposition parties, and disseminate content that favors the government, monarchy, and military.
In 2020, the social media platform X (then Twitter) reported removing more than 900 accounts linked to the Royal Thai Army that disseminated pro-military and regime content while targeting opposition figures.
During the 2023 election in Thailand, a civil society report found detailed evidence of government-backed disinformation campaigns that targeted politicians and activists from marginalized groups, including LGBTQI+ communities, minorities, and women.
In 2025, Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission found that state security agencies engaged in information operations targeting human rights activists, academics, and opposition politicians, including collecting personal data to compile watchlists and online monitoring.
Conclusion
The June 2026 ruling represents a significant milestone as the first time that a Thai court has held ISOC legally responsible for its disinformation and smear campaigns. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Investigating other reported cases and holding the individuals responsible for spearheading IO campaigns that target human rights defenders accountable is crucial to ending all forms of harassment and digital violence in Thailand.
