'Dome' learns harsh lesson

Singer and online influencer Pakorn “Dome” Lam has earned the dubious honour of being the first major test of Thailand’s newly amended sexually harassment law.

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The case involves a sexually suggestive comment he posted under a photograph of Yossuda “Jinny” Leelapanyalert, the daughter of prominent politician Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party (TST).

Details about the post — and the excuses subsequently offered — should serve as a cautionary tale for online users. In this digital age, a social media post or comment is no longer a fleeting interaction that can be readily retracted or dismissed as an unintentional mishap born out of ignorance. Instead, every word, photo or graphic published online now carries significant criminal responsibility.

Pakorn admitted to posting the “crude” remark on Ms Yossuda’s photo — which had been originally shared by a friend on social media — and offered his apologies after a legal team representing Ms Yossuda and the TST filed a sexual harassment complaint against him.