“Authorities have measures, should there be any actions, from video recording to prosecuting following international rules,” Sansern said. “Any tentative participants should think twice or stop such acts.”

Meanwhile, operators of the Facebook page “Single Gateway: Thailand Internet Firewall #opsinglegateway”, which has attracted more than 120,000 likes, claimed to have attacked several government websites to express anger at the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA)’s backing for the contentious act last Friday.

The amended bill has faced strong criticism for being a tool for the junta to tighten its control of comments expressed over the Internet via appointed officials.

After a series of cyber attacks, the group called on Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to use his sweeping powers under the interim charter’s Article 44 to revoke the bill. It also promoted an event calling for protests at Democracy Monument and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in opposition to the new law.

Sansern also criticised the alleged hacking of state websites, saying the move went “beyond boundaries”, adding that such actions were among the reasons why computer-related laws needed to be reviewed.

He also said some of the websites had not been hacked contrary to reports. The Immigration Bureau database, for instance, was not linked to the Internet, he said, adding that it could not be hacked as a result.

Sansern said the government was not planing to initiate any policy in relation to a “single gateway”, which would involve centralising government control of all Internet services in Thailand.

The term single gateway first gained attention last year when it was mentioned in Cabinet resolutions as an issue for consideration by the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, which has been renamed the Digital Economy and Society Ministry.

Prayut and his government denied having the policy, saying the term was wrongly recorded by the person who took minutes. The issue faded from public view although some Internet users have identified similarities in the recently-passed Computer Crime Act. They said the new law would reinforce authority over Internet |regulation without a balancing power.

Sansern said the government would only request to look at “online traffic” in specific cases, which would not centralise power. A nine-member committee and the courts would also take part in consideration for any decisions, he said.

He added that the concept of a single gateway would hinder the government’s initiative to drive digital technology in line with its Thailand 4.0 scheme.

“Every country has a universal rule of advising people about what websites are deemed critical to national security,” he said. “It also depends on Internet providers’ discretion on management over access to foreign websites.”