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Reporter-turned-activist Daranee Chanchoengsilapakul came out of nowhere to make the headlines of local newspapers yesterday. Daranee, or "Da Torpedo", was arrested on charges of committing lese majeste, thanks to what she said at Sanam Luang on Friday.

Although what the 46-year-old said was not reported in the press, her words were construed as being severe enough to prompt the armed forces to ask the police to take swift action against her.

On several previous occasions Daranee was a speaker at rallies held by the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, but her connection with the DAAD could not prevent her from being  prosecuted on this occasion.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Tuesday ordered swift action against her. And Nuttawut Saikua, a DAAD member and currently the government's spokesman, said that Daranee was not officially part of the DAAD, even though he admitted that she had joined DAAD rallies several times.

The meeting that Daranee appeared at was called "The Voice of the People's Stage" at which most of the speakers were those who had previously attended DAAD rallies. The DAAD's nemesis is the Council for National Security, set up after the coup of September 2006. But even after the end of the CNS era, with a return to democracy, some DAAD members - including Daranee - formed a group to attack the People's Alliance for Democracy at Sanam Luang.

But her connection with the DAAD does not guarantee that she will be saved. What she is alleged to have said has already been made public, thanks to the Internet. Besides, the PAD have also referred to what she said.

The DAAD abruptly isolated Daranee. Nutthawut Saikua, the government's spokesman and one of the core members of the DAAD, said on Tuesday that "Da Torpedo is not related to the DAAD, even though our stances are close."

The news that she was arrested dampened the mood at the rally on Tuesday, even though the event was to celebrate the first anniversary of the DAAD's rally at the residence of Prem Tinsulanonda, chairman of the Privy Council. 

After the news broke of Daranee's arrest, the DAAD's celebratory gathering became somewhat subdued. Key members such as Veera Musikapoing, Weng Tojirakan and Nutthawut also failed to make an appearance at the rally, which was organised at Sanam Luang close the venue of the Voice of People's Stage.

Daranee is a Bangkokian. She used to be a reporter for Pim Thai newspaper before she was reportedly sacked for an unknown reason. She then joined Thai Sky News before the cable network was closed down. After the coup on September 19, 2006, Daranee formed a group called the "People's Council" and used harsh words to criticise her opponents.

On the night of May 31, 2007, she joined a rally with PTV at Wang Daeng intersection before marching to Manager Group to attack Manager's ASTV station.  The next day, Daranee joined a PTV rally at Sanam Luang and criticised the Constitution Court judges and Prem. Her choice of words was reportedly offensive to the point where Yupa Im-deang, a flower merchandiser who was doing business nearby, could not stand by any longer. Yupa, 34, threw human faeces into Daranee's face on the night of June 5, 2007.