BANGKOK, THAILAND – A Bangkok district court sentenced two well-known gamers to three months of arrest for computer offences linked to SEA Games e-sports selection.
Morning verdict in Pathum Wan
The Pathum Wan District Court delivered its decision on 17 March at 9 a.m. in a case brought by the public prosecutor of the district court’s Section 6.
On trial were Naphat, 29, known as TokyoGirl, a former national e-sports athlete, and Chaiyo, 23, a Thai gamer known as Cheerio.
Details of the computer offence
The court found that both defendants knew protection measures for accessing a computer system and unlawfully disclosed this information, potentially causing damage to third parties.
It also ruled that they had jointly accessed specially protected computer data without authorisation, even though the access safeguards were not intended for them.
Link to the 33rd SEA Games
Investigations and charges were connected to the 33rd SEA Games, held in Thailand, where e-sports formed part of the official sports programme.
According to the court, both defendants admitted the offence and had previously been released under conditions pending the verdict.
Prison terms reduced to three months of arrest
The court initially imposed a six-month prison sentence on TokyoGirl and Cheerio and explicitly refused to grant probation.
Because of their confession, the court halved the sentence to three months, ordering it to be served as arrest rather than in a regular prison facility.
Court cites damage to selection and reputation
In its reasoning, the court stated that the case had seriously undermined the credibility of the selection of e-sports athletes.
It further held that the events had harmed the country’s reputation, and therefore could not be treated as mere misconduct without broader consequence.
Application for release on bail
After the verdict, both convicted defendants applied for temporary release.
They offered 24,000 baht as security; as of Tuesday, the decision on bail still rested with the court.
What arrest means in Thailand
Under Thai criminal law, arrest is distinct from imprisonment, as a prison sentence is served in a correctional institution.
Arrest is considered a milder sanction and can be ordered at a legally designated place, such as a police station or central arrest facility, often as a substitute for short prison terms of up to three months.