According to police, the WHO office had willfully and maliciously published, in both print and on the internet, damaging and inaccurate information about the average human life expectancy in Thailand. The publication in question included the rumor that Thais on average lived to 69 for men and 75 for women. His Majesty the King is 81.

“This false information might lead to misunderstandings that could sow panic and damage the nation,” explained a police spokesperson. “We cannot have people comparing numbers irresponsibly and thinking about probabilities that they should not ever think about.”

The UN office launched a formal protest at the shut down of its WHO site, stating that the publication of health statistics was part of its long-standing charter. However, police refused to release the arrested employees on bail, saying that the accused persons’ repeated use of facts could not be tolerated.