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22nd December  Update:  Police Censors...
   
Thailand passed film classification law

From Variety see full article

25 certThailand's National Legislative Assembly passed the controversial Film Act in a last gasp flurry of bills before a new government is elected.

An eight-month-long campaign by local film professionals to end censorship went unheeded. The new law stipulates a rating system which still gives the state the right to ban a movie and prevent its release in the kingdom.

The rating system is made up of "P" (films that are of educational value, "G" (suitable for all age groups), and age restricted categories 13,15,18,20.

The previously mooted  25 age category did not make the final bill.

Notably, the Film Act authorizes the state to forbid the release of movies that undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or that might impact national security or the pride of the nation.

Another controversial point is the article that sees the country's chief of police join the National Film and Video Committee. Previous drafts of the law did not include the police as members of the rating committee, though historically the police have chaired the film censorship board.

To implement the rating system, a supplementary law will have to be written to cover operational aspects. But it's not clear when the system will actually be implemented in Thai theaters.

 

17th December    Kings of Censorship...
   
YouTube implements country specific blocking

From 2Bangkok.com

YouTube logoIt appears that YouTube really did cooperate with Thai authorities as was claimed in a selective blocking of clips deemed offensive to the monarchy.

For instance one of the disputed videos is still available to view outside Thailand but within Thailand page shows: "This video is unavailable".

 

13th December  Update:  Ministry of Book Censors...
   
Thais fight back

Based on an article from the Bangkok Post

Culture Minister

Culture Minister
Khaisri Sri-aroon

Webboards at the Culture Ministry's website have been bombarded with hundreds of supposedly lewd web links, the Culture Watch Centre has found.

The centre found more than 500 sexually-explicit web links put up on webboards run by the ministry, which has been campaigning against obscene websites. The website, www.m-culture.go.th, could not be accessed last night.

The attack on the website comes a few days after the ministry said it was contemplating censoring novels.

Culture Minister Khunying Khaisri Sri-aroon yesterday admitted that inappropriate web links had been posted on the website. She had ordered Thongchai Masattana, director of the IT centre, to explain why webmasters had failed to detect and screen out the saucy content.

Khunying Khaisri said the ministry is mulling rating various novels, particularly adult romances and translated novels.

Many complaints had come in about the ministry's bid to censor sex and erotic scenes. Romance readers argued the erotic scenes were written in beautiful language and are not morally incorrect.

Khunying Khaisri said she personally agreed that censorship would spoil the novels.

In deciding on a rating system for romance novels, the ministry would invite artists, academics, writers, publishers and distributors to give their views. The attempt to impose a ratings system is prompted in part by the arrest of two traders selling romance novels with erotic content at a book fair in October.

 

11th December    Lady Khaisri's Lovers...
   
Book censorship in Thailand with cuts for sex scenes?

From the Nation
Culture Minister

Culture Minister
Khaisri Sri-aroon

Culture Minister Khaisri Sri-aroon yesterday said she disagreed with a proposal to cut "romantic" scenes from translated novels.

She said it would ruin the taste for readers and affirmed that she would invite national artists, academics and publishers to formulate a rating criteria.

Following the ministry's plan for book ratings - especially for romantic and translated novels - as proposed by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT), many public members posted their concerns that love scenes in books might be cut.

They argued that romantic scenes were not obscene as the translators and publishers used "sensitive descriptions" and urged the ministry to hear the opinions of the public and related parties before making a decision.

Khaisri said most of those who expressed opinions on the ministry's website agreed to the book rating according to readers' age but disagreed with the content cutting.

 

2nd December    Caution, No Lust...
   
Thai film censor renders Lust, Caution as unwatchable

From Thai Visa

Lust Caution posterAng Lee's Lust Caution was noticed in the US when its sex scenes were rated as NC-17. An adults only rating that is usually commercial suicide in the US.

But don't bother seeing it on the big screen in Thailand. The board of morality cut out 10 minutes of the film which makes it not worth watching.

I saw the uncut version in California a few weeks ago and while viewing it thought of the censors in Thailand and how they would snip away so much of the good parts, really essential to the story. Had one of those wistful moments about the trade off between living in the US, a society relatively free of censorship, and the otherwise delights of LOS.

 

 

30th November    Identifying Internet Users...
   
ID requirements dictated by cyber crime law

Based on an article from the Bangkok Post

Thai police logoThe general public will have to make some sacrifices in terms of privacy and convenience as dictated by the new cyber crime law.

Speaking at a panel discussion on the impact of the cyber crime law at the recent ICT Forum, Police Lieutenant Colonel Darun Chadharoen from the High-Tech Crime Centre of the Royal Thai Police fielded questions from ATCI director Sutee Sathanasathaporn and and Tarad.com webmaster Pawoot Pongvitaypanu to clarify many of the questions regarding how the new cyber crime law would be put into practice.

Darun said that the law was a long time coming and that prior to its passage on 18 July this year, there were many crimes that could not be prosecuted as they did not break any law, such as domain name theft, stealing credit card information and phishing through email scams.

The new law requires all Internet access providers to keep a log for 90 days. An access provider can include a company that allows its employees to access the Internet or even a dormitory or coffee shop that does the same. Darun explained that while the law seemed to be open ended, calling for "any relevant information", in practice what it meant was that as long as a name could be provided to match an action, that would be enough.

For a small organisation, the logs could even be a paper log with people signing in with their ID card details, but the ICT Ministry has been asked to create a standard piece of software to capture this information and distribute it to all cyber cafes and companies to use free of charge. Today if someone uses an Internet access point and the shopkeeper does not take down the name of the user, then the access provider is breaking the law.

It is not just access but all Internet services will need to keep a log with the name of whoever is transacting. This means a web board needs to keep names of anyone who posts a comment, an FTP server needs to keep names of anyone who uploads files and an email provider needs to be able to match emails and names.

Darun suggested that email logs should keep only headers and names and not the content because if the private content is leaked, it would open up the email provider to legal action.

However, when Sutee asked if data from instant messaging clients such as MSN needed to be kept, Darun drew a blank. "When we get an MSN log, it always is an MSN server overseas. It's very hard to do anything with that," he said, implicitly admitting that the law was powerless when a foreign server or user was involved.

Article 16 - often referred to as the "Photoshop Clause" - makes it illegal to post an altered image that is damaging to a person's reputation or embarrassing. Darun made a couple of observations on this clause. First, it went beyond the protection given by existing laws that only covered defamation. Article 16 adds embarrassment, a term which he said would be quite hard to rule on in a legal context.

Pawood said that he was once subjected to a raid under copyright law where the police seized his servers and effectively shut down his entire web site because one of his clients was found to be selling counterfeit goods. Was there a way to prosecute that user without shutting down his business, he asked?

Darun responded that with a court order, police had the right to seize evidence, but it was up to the investigating officer whether he actually needed to take the physical servers in or simply ask for a copy of the log file and a letter certifying that it was true. This would depend largely on whether the computers seized were from a suspect or a witness.

 

26th November    Silent Hill...
   
Hilltribe radio forced off air

From the Bangkok Post

Community radio logoThe northern community radio network will protest to the Chiang Mai governor after two of its 10 member stations broadcasting in a hilltribe dialect were forced off the air for supposed security reasons.

Sangmuang Mangkorn, coordinator of the Chiang Mai-based Migration Action Programme, said a man claiming to represent the Third Army called up the two stations, in Fang and Chom Thong districts, and ordered them to stop broadcasting, citing security reasons. The stations broadcast in Karen dialect.

He said there might be a political motive behind the closure order as the Dec 23 general election was approaching. It is widely known that the majority of hilltribe people who have Thai ID cards were key supporters of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party, which has been resurrected as the People Power party.

Sangmuang said his radio station in Chiang Mai's Muang district, which broadcasts in the ethnic Shan dialect on FM 99 MHz, had also been warned that it might be shut down even though the station's programme content focuses on health and law issues.

 

25th November    Scandalous Extension of Law...
   
News coverage about adultery of celebrities might be illegal

Not sure how adultery gets protection from laws about family violence though. I wonder if there is a high profile adultery story about to break.

From Thai Visa
Culture Minister

Culture Minister
Khaisri Sri-aroon

The Ministry of Culture warns that news coverage about adultery scandals of public figures, including politicians and celebrities, might violate Article 9 of the 2007 Act Protecting the Victims Suffered from Family’s Violence.

The Director of the Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights Foundation, Mr Shapphasit Khumpraphan says the media cannot reveal the victims' names of family violence as prohibited by Article 9 of the Act. Penalties include an imprisonment not exceeding six months and/or a fine of up to 60,000 baht.

Shapphasit also suggested the media cover news which benefit society, while ensuring that news stories concerning violence in families do not contain the names of either the offenders or the victims.

 

22nd November    Censors Get on My Wick...
   
Wikipedia founder lets the Thai censors know

From FACT see full article

ICT blocked websiteThe founder of the free online encyclopaedia Wikipedia dropped a bombshell during his keynote speech at ICT Expo 2007 last week by saying that Internet censorship is one of Thailand’s biggest problems and that the system should be re-examined to see if it is in the best interests of the country.

Addressing an audience that included high-level officials from the host Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Nectec and the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Jimmy Wales said that a strong economy requires the free flow of ideas and that the disruption of the Internet harms projects like Wikipedia.
Thailand should recognise that censorship is a barrier to progress, he said.

Later, when asked if he realised that his hosts at the Ministry were the ones responsible for censorship in Thailand, Wales said that he was glad he had been talking to the right people…

 

20th November    Monks with Traits of a Crow...
   
Thai art causes protests

From IPS News see full article

Monk crowsFew would have thought that a painting would have the power to shake the foundations of modern-day temple life in Thailand, a country which prides itself as the centre of Buddhism.

But before painter Anupong Chanthorn started working on his masterpiece Bhikku Sandan Ka (Monks With Traits of a Crow), he spent time seeking meaningful messages in Buddhist texts. That diligence paid off and when the painting bagged the country’s most prestigious national art award in September.

Since then, the powerful message in the painting has not only elevated the painter to the ranks of well-respected national artists, but also shocked society into an open argument on how much monks, who symbolically represent a fundamental part of Buddhism, can be criticised.

The painting shows two monks with pointed and sharp mouths resembling a crow’s beak. The monks squat facing each other on the floor with crows looking over their shoulders.

Late September, about 100 laymen and monks from two major Buddhist Universities protested in front of the Silpakorn University campus where the exhibition was held. Saying that the painting insult monks in the country, they demanded the university withdraw the award given to the painter and remove the painting from the exhibition.

Angry protesters carried Anupong’s picture decorated with wreaths and monks who joined the protest chanted a Buddhist prayer that is traditionally used at funerals. Civilians in the group later ‘cremated’ the picture.

Protest leader Satian Wibhroma from a Buddhist group called People’s Network to Protect the Nation, Religion and the Monarchy, accused the painter of insulting Thai monks as a whole. While crows in the painting represent greedy and evil spirits, amulets in the alms-bowls indicated superstitious beliefs which are against Buddhist teachings.

But painter Anupong dismissed such claims. He said while painting he intended to present certain facts of modern-day Buddhism to society. One reality was that some people became monks only to take advantage of the religion which, he said, hurt many Buddhists.

Anupong said that Buddhist texts faithfully reproduced the Buddha’s mention of different types of immoral behaviour that may afflict monks. The phrase ‘Monks with Traits of a Crow’ was among expressions he used in describing such monks. I intend to use this painting to bring back good conscience in people, he told IPS.

Public reaction to the painting was mixed. Some government officials and Buddhists said the painting, regardless of what it conveys, could hurt feelings of most Buddhists in the country. But many leading intellectuals, artists and an overwhelming number of anonymous writers in the Internet said otherwise. They defended the painting for its honest message. Some said monks should be open-minded in listening to frank criticism.

 

17th November    Thai Internet Cafe Ratings...
   
Useful warnings of censored internet cafes

Based on an article from the Nation

Internet cafe ratingsOnline games that involve violence, fantasy, cop-shooting, stripping and abducting young women are popular among Thai youths, while some use the Internet as a means to hook up with others for sex, a poll revealed yesterday.

Meanwhile the National Committee on Safe and Creative Media is gathering information on Internet cafes and computer game shops to implement a red (dangerous) or green (safe) sticker to identify these venues next year.

Ladda Tangsupachai head of the Culture Ministry's Cultural Surveillance Department, said the committee, on which she served as secretary, had assigned the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the Abac Poll to survey Internet use and impact among 1,114 Thais aged 15 to 24 in Bangkok and surrounding areas.

Most youths used the Internet to search for information, play online games and download music or movies, the poll found. The respondents also went online while at schools and educational institutions (75%) followed by shopping malls (58%) and homes (48%). Slightly less than a third said their parents knew in detail which websites they had visited while some 74% said they did not.

The online-game-playing respondents also ranked their favourite themes as fighting, fantasy worlds, cop-shooting, stripping and abducting young women.

Over half (53%) of the youths said they had seen obscene or pornographic materials on the Internet, including downloading porn pictures or clips (64%), playing games on pornographic sites (16%), chatting about sex with others (13%), uploading sexual pictures or message onto websites (11%), and using webcam services such as camfrog (6%).

Moreover, 27% of male respondents and 8% of female admitted they had sex with people they had met online. Of this group, 28% of males and 59% of females said the sex was not consensual.

Ladda said the Safe Media Committee also assigned the Culture Ministry to conclude the issue about Internet cafés and computer-game shops, as they planned to launch a campaign persuading business-owners to adjust Internet café and computer-game services to be of the same standard.

Next year the committee and officials will visit Internet cafés and computer-game shops and allocate the safe and creative green sticker, which should get more parents and children to use the services there. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Asiasoft said they would lower the programme prices for these venues.

Those given a red sticker, indicating inappropriate services, will face legal action by the police.

 

10th November    Dementia at 25...
   
Thai Government dreams up a 25 film certificate

From the Bangkok Post see full article

25 certficateSo the saga of the new Film Act continues, with an increasing degree of weirdness, or even lunacy.

On Thursday, the National Legislative Assembly held the first-round deliberation of the new Film and Video Act. And if, under the influence of dementia or the approaching election, they pass the law in the second meeting next week, we will have a film act that contains a rating, for the first time in the world's history, that forbids people under 25 years of age to see certain movies.

Such perversity is unthinkable, and it is carrying the ongoing debate of the new law into the realm of comedy - no, actually it's tragicomedy, and not only for moviemakers but for the general audience, whose basic human rights would be violated by this absurd conservatism.

No country in the world (except some Taliban-ruled badland) takes away the right to choose to go to a movie from its 24-year-old citizens. Generally, the international threshold is 18, and even in a bastion of enforced civility like Singapore, the toughest rating restricts people under 21 from entering some movies. To elevate the bar to 25 is phenomenally laughable, and it raises questions about the integrity and intellect of certain bureaucrats in the ministry.

Other disturbing points remain unchanged in the latest draft, chiefly the state's ultimate right to ban films that touch on "the nation, the religion and the monarchy". Existing laws, such as the lese majeste law and anti-obscenity law, provide enough ground to cover the offence should some cretins make a movie about our sacred institutions. To literally spell out that power in the film bill reeks of the dark intention to control freedom of expression.

Article 34 of the new draft stipulates that no movies can be sent to screen outside the Kingdom before receiving an approval from the Film and Video Committee. This means independent directors will need to seek permission - like artists in China - before sending their films to international film festivals, and any movie that portrays Thailand, Thai politicians, Thai cops or Thai monks in a bad light is unlikely to get a nod.

 

31st October  Update:  Straightjacket Elections...
   
Election Commission backs off a little

From the Bangkok Post
See also Thailand heads for straitjacket elections in the Asia Times

TV ShockThe Election Commission (EC) decided on Tuesday to ease what political parties and media thought to be overly restrictive regulations governing the run-up to the Dec 23 general election.

EC chairman Apichart Sukhakkhanont said election commissioners decided to ease a few regulations as suggested by parties and broadcast media.

They resolved that political parties can organise campaigning stages freely but the costs have to be included in the expense of the party. They also allowed executives of broadcast media to consider for themselves who they want to interview and put on air.

Apichart said the EC did not loose faces for making amendments to the regulations.

 

26th October    Sensitive to Buddhist Sensitivities...
   
Doo Phra painting banned

From the Nation

Doo Phra paintingA painting by an award-winning student artist is the latest to be withdrawn from a high-profile exhibition because it was deemed to be insulting to monks.

Doo Phra (watch amulet or watch monk) depicts monks in a crowd watching a Buddha amulet, a practise deemed improper for Buddhist monks.

Withit Sembutr's painting was withdrawn from the Young Thai Artist Award exhibition because of the on-going controversy over Bhikku sandarn kar, another painting that was banned under similar circumstances last month.

The organisers told me they decided not to exhibit my painting because of the on-going controversy, the Silapakorn University third-year student told The Nation: The organisers said they are a private company, not a state organisation, and are not brave enough to exhibit works containing such sensitive and controversial messages.

 

25th October    TV No Spin Zone...
   
Thailand bans politicians from pre-election TV

From the Bangkok Post see full article

TV ShockThe Thai Election Commission (EC) has introduced tough regulations to control the presence of politicians in all kinds of media from today until the election date on Dec 23.

EC chairman Apichart Sukhakkhanont said the commission prohibited radio stations, television channels, community radio operators and cable television operators from inviting candidates, or party executives and leaders to appear in their programmes.

The media are also banned from organising any discussion or debate in which one representative of parties are invited to speak.

The EC will limit the presence of these politicians in such media to a 30-second spot per day and three 10-minute speeches by a party leader in the run-up to the Dec 23 election. The commission wants all parties to get equal exposure in the media.

Although the EC's announcements do not impose restrictions on printed media, Apichart said the owners of printed media were also prohibited from organising forums or inviting politicians to speak or debate.

He said the EC would set up forums which all parties could share. Any forums apart from the EC-sponsored forums are forbidden and the press are welcome to cover the stances of politicians at these official forums.

Meanwhile, politicians have the freedom to campaign through electronic media such as SNS and the internet but such SMS must not appear on TV. The EC also prohibits candidates who are stars, singers and commentators from using their careers to advance their political campaigns.

 

24th October    Religious Nonsense...
   
Thailand considers blasphemy law

From the Bangkok Post see full article

Book burning: Satanic VersesThe National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will today consider a bill that will introduce harsh punishments for various forms of offences against Buddhism, including sexual affairs with monks, novices and nuns.

The bill was proposed by a group of 179 NLA members, some of whom tried in vain to promote Buddhism as the national religion in the 2007 Constitution.

They reasoned that although Buddhism is the religion of most Thai people, there has been no law to protect and promote the religion seriously and cover Buddhist people in general.

The bill sets a jail term of 10-25 years and/or a fine of 500,000-1,000,000 baht for insulting, offending, imitating and distorting Buddhism and the Lord Buddha and a jail term of 5-10 years and/or a fine of 100,000-500,000 baht for damaging Buddhist objects, personnel and places. People who have any form of sexual affair with monks, novices and nuns are liable to five to 10 years in jail and/or a fine of 100,000-500,000 baht. However, the bill does not include any punishments for monks, novices and nuns who engage in sexual relations.

 

19th October    Lust for Censorship...
   
Erotic novels seized at Thai book fair

Based on an article from the Nation see full article

Lady Chatterley's Lover novelPolice yesterday arrested two men at the 12th Book Expo Thailand 2007 who were selling erotic novels and seized hundreds of the titillating tomes.

Special Branch Police commander Maj-General Sombat Supacheeva spouted that although these works contained no photos, they used sexually explicit language and could incite lust.

The victims of the police nonsense could each face a maximum three years in jail and/or a fine of Bt6,000.

Ladda Tangsupachai, prudish director of the Culture Watch Centre, praised the police for cracking down on salacious material. The Culture Ministry will convene a meeting of agencies next week to tackle the spread of adult material, she said.

The book expo runs until October 28 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

 

18th October    Pressing Change to Law...
   
A new press registration law

From the Bangkok Post

The Thai print media has won a major concession in its protracted struggle to free itself from the shackles of the draconian Press Act B.E. 2484. Thanks to the government and the National Legislative Assembly the obsolete law which empowered authorities to close down a newspaper, censor news or ban the import or distribution of any publication they deemed a threat to public order or good morals, has been repealed and replaced with a new and media-friendly law, officially called the Press Registration and Notification Act.

The abrogation of the Press Act B.E. 2484 represents a big step forward in the realisation of free expression in Thailand, a fundamental right guaranteed in the 1997 Constitution and also in the existing charter which was approved in the recent national referendum. The new press law, which will come into effect after royal endorsement by His Majesty the King, will do away with censorship and the once powerful press officers who could close down a newspaper or any publication. It will also make it easier to start a publication without the need to apply for a licence.

Yet, there still remains another major problem that has stood in the way towards the realisation of free expression. That is the criminal defamation provisions as stipulated in the Criminal Code, which is as obsolete as the recently-repealed Press Act and thus in need of modification in conformity with the prevailing democratic atmosphere, or else completely abrogated.

In reality, the laws have been abused by politicians as a means to intimidate or to muzzle criticism against themselves by the media.

The use of criminal law in defamation cases represents a disproportionate means of addressing the problem of unwarranted attacks on someone's reputation. It exerts an unacceptable chilling effect on freedom of expression, particularly in relation to statements regarding public figures or on matters of public interest. Civil defamation laws, on their own, provide adequate redress for harm or damage done to the reputation. Thus, civil defamation laws are preferable to criminal defamation laws. There is no denying there is a need to protect the reputation of individuals, just as it is necessary to protect free expression. The point is how to balance free speech with the need to protect reputation. One extreme option is to repeal the criminal defamation laws. The other is to do away with the imprisonment penalty for defamation charges. Whichever the option, the existing criminal defamation laws are out of time and out of place and go against the spirit of democracy. It is time they were amended. Or completely repealed.

 

17th October    Lowly Rated Thailand...
   
World Press Freedom Rankings

From Reporters without Borders see full article

Eritrea has replaced North Korea in last place in an index measuring the level of press freedom in 169 countries throughout the world that is published today by Reporters Without Borders for the sixth year running.

Reporters Without Borders said. Eritrea deserves to be at the bottom. The privately-owned press has been banished by the authoritarian President Issaias Afeworki and the few journalists who dare to criticise the regime are thrown in prison.

China (163rd) still the world’s biggest prison for bloggers and online journalists. With its position in the ranking unchanged since last year, China continues to pursue very repressive policies towards the Internet. Reporters Without Borders said: With less than a year to go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the reforms and the releases of imprisoned journalists so often promised by the authorities seem to be a vain hope.

Bloggers have to live with the same fears as traditional media journalists. Governments adopt measures to control the flow of news and information online and some asks bloggers to register with the information ministry. This is the case in Bahrain (118th), where 18 websites that defend human rights have been blocked for the past year. Malaysia (124th) often harasses bloggers and their families while Thailand (135th) adopted a computer crime law in July that requires ISPs to keep each person’s online usage records for 90 days and allows the authorities to examine them without any control by the courts.

A total of 26 bloggers and online journalists have been convicted and jailed since September 2006 for using their right to online free expression. Cases of Internet censorship are on the increase and more and more repressive governments are realising the threat that the Internet poses in the hands of pro-democracy activists. Bloggers are now being harassed as much as journalists working for the traditional media. Worldwide, 64 cyber-dissidents are currently in prison.

1Iceland
-Norway
3Estonia
-Slovakia
5Belgium
-Finland
-Sweden
8Denmark
-Ireland
-Portugal
11Switzerland
12Latvia
-Netherlands
14Czech Republic
15New Zealand
16Austria
17Hungary
18Canada
19Trinidad and Tobago
20Germany
21Costa Rica
-Slovenia
23Lithuania
24United Kingdom
25Mauritius
-Namibia
27Jamaica
28Australia
29Ghana
30Greece
31France
32Taiwan
33Spain
34Bosnia and Herzegovina
35Italy
36Macedonia
37Japan
-Uruguay
39Chile
-South Korea
41Croatia
42Romania
43South Africa
44Israel (Israeli territory)
45Cape Verde
-Cyprus
47Nicaragua
48United States of America
49Togo
50Mauritania
51Bulgaria
52Mali
53Benin
54Panama
55Tanzania
56Ecuador
-Poland
58Cyprus (North)
-Montenegro
60Kosovo
61Hong-Kong
-Madagascar
63Kuwait
64El Salvador
65United Arab Emirates
66Georgia
67Serbia
68Bolivia
-Burkina Faso
-Zambia
71Central African Republic
72Dominican Republic
73Mozambique
74Mongolia
75Botswana
-Haiti
77Armenia
78Kenya
79Qatar
80Congo
81Moldova
82Argentina
83Senegal
84Brazil
85Cambodia
-Liberia
87Albania
-Honduras
-Niger
90Paraguay
91Angola
92Malawi
-Ukraine
94Côte d’Ivoire
-Timor-Leste
96Comoros
-Uganda
98Lebanon
99Lesotho
100Indonesia
101Turkey
102Gabon
103Israel (extra-territorial)
104Guatemala
-Seychelles
106Morocco
107Fiji
-Guinea
-Guinea-Bissau
110Kyrgyzstan
111Cameroon
-USA (extra-territorial)
113Chad
114Venezuela
115Tajikistan
116Bhutan
117Peru
118Bahrein
119Tonga
120India
121Sierra Leone
122Jordan
123Algeria
124Malaysia
125Kazakhstan
126Colombia
127Burundi
128Philippines
129Maldives
130Gambia
131Nigeria
132Djibouti
133Congo
134Bangladesh
135Thailand
136Mexico
137Nepal
138Swaziland
139Azerbaijan
140Sudan
141Singapore
142Afghanistan
143Yemen
144Russia
145Tunisia
146Egypt
147Rwanda
148Saudi Arabia
149Zimbabwe
150Ethiopia
151Belarus
152Pakistan
153Equatorial Guinea
154Syria
155Libya
156Sri Lanka
157Iraq
158Palestinian Territories
159Somalia
160Uzbekistan
161Laos
162Vietnam
163China
164Burma
165Cuba
166Iran
167Turkmenistan
168North Korea
169Eritrea

 

14th October    Chinese Sensitivities
   
Political book criticising China banned in Thailand
From FACT

Nine Commentaries book coverIt seems banning books has become contagious in Thailand. The Thai government has now ordered censorship of the Thai translation of Nine Commentaries Criticising the Chinese Communist Party.

On October 10, Thai daily “Matichon” reported news of the ban order for the book in Thai translated from Chinese. The book criticises the Chinese Communist Party. A Thai ‘Press Officer’ empowered to act as government book censor comments that the text of the book directly attacks the Chinese government and may affect peaceful relations between Thailand and China. Therefore the Thai government issued its ban order on October 8 under Article 9 of the Printing Act of 1941 as contrary to public order or good morals. Such an order may be issued by publication in the Government Gazette or any daily newspaper.

 

13th October  Update:  Victims Released
   
Prosecutor withdraws charges from cyber dissidents
From FACT

Thai police logoThe two cyber-dissidents charged under Thailand’s new Computer-Related Crimes Act duly appeared in court this week.

‘Phraya Pichai’ went to court in the morning and ‘Ton Chan’ (both cyber-pseudonyms) in the afternoon to find that the state prosecutor had withdrawn the charges against them, giving no reasons.

However, Phraya Pichai and Ton Chan are now both free and got their bail money back.

The prosecution can still bring these cases back to court anytime within 10 years should either speak publicly again. Even more strangely, it appears that both parties will now have a criminal record.

Both Phraya Pichai and Ton Chan had been warned against speaking with anyone, including the press and Ton Chan, at least, had been followed to court by two-three obvious government agents.

 

7th October   Dogged by Complaints...
 


Saffron robing material (but not the offending picture)Painting with dogs in saffron robes offends National Buddhist Assembly

Haven't spotted the offending picture being published on the internet yet though

From the Nation see full article

An artist has defended a painting portraying a dog covered in the saffron robes of a Buddhist monk, the second of his works to incur the wrath of the National Buddhist Assembly.

Anupong Chanthorn said his painting Mha-Nut was not intended to insult Buddhism, but rather reflect ongoing social problems the public should tackle.

The same artist also flirted with controversy with another painting called Bhikku Sandan Ka (monks with crow-like natures).

Both paintings are on show at the 53rd National Exhibition of Art at Silpakorn University's Sanam Chan Palace campus in Nakhon Pathom until October 30.

They have both won at the art contest, and the university has said it cannot withdraw those prizes.

Anupong explained that Mha-Mut reflected the reality he observed at many temples, where pieces of the saffron cloth disintegrated into rags scattered everywhere for temple dogs to huddle around: I don't wish to argue with the protesters. I just want them to view my art so they see that they reflect real social problems that I have seen with my own eyes. Such problems struck me deeply so I explained them in the paintings. These things happen in our society, but nobody steps up to solve them.

 

5th October   Book Banning...
 


Police seize political book

From FACT

Acclaimed Thai philosopher, social critic and socially-engaged Buddhist activist, Professor Sulak Srivaraksa’s latest book has been seized by police citing concerns of national security.

The book, A Half-Century of Democracy’s Difficult Path, was published in late March 2007.

It is unknown at the time of this writing which Thai law was used to effect the seizure or which branch of Thai police was involved, how many copies were seized or if the book has been officially banned from sale.

Professor Sulak, fondly known as Saw Srivaraksa to Thais, has twice before had his writings result in charges of lese-majeste for which he was acquitted.

 

22nd September   Censorship Coup...
 


You Tube logoThailand to ban YouTube videos about coup politics

From the Bangkok Post

The Department of Special Investigation under the Justice Ministry is seeking a court order to block clips recently posted on video-sharing website YouTube that accuse Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda of masterminding the Sept 19 coup.

In the couple of days, we will seek a court order to block those links deemed to cause public confusion and threaten national security, head of the unit Yanaphon Youngyuen said: While awaiting the court order, we are seeking cooperation from internet service providers to block those links.

There are two parts of the postings, entitled The Crisis of Siam I and II. They were posted by iunknown79.

 

21st September   Internet Censor Resigns...
 


ICT blocked websiteMinisterial access blocked for "inappropriate" portfolio content

From the Bangkok Post

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom has tendered his resignation from the cabinet after the National Counter-Corruption Commission (NCCC) raised questions about his personal shareholdings in local companies.

The NCCC said Sitthichai held shareholdings of more than 5% in private companies.

Sitthichai has not violated the law because he does not take active roles in the management of these companies. But the fact that they did not transfer their shares to a legal entity to help manage the shares on their behalf was deemed ''inappropriate''.

Under the 1997 constitution, cabinet ministers are barred from maintaining personal shareholdings of more than 5% in a company to prevent possible conflicts of interest. The rule is the same one being used by the Assets Scrutiny Committee in its investigation of shareholdings of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra during his time in office.

In his term of office, Sitthichai is perhaps best known for imposing a nationwide ban on the popular YouTube video-sharing website and also clamping down on internet pornography and ''inappropriate'' sites, raising complaints of censorship from activist groups.

 

9th September   Update: 2nd Victim of the Computer Crime Act...
 

 
Thai police logoWoman still in prison

From Prachatai see full article

The second person reported to have been arrested under the new Computer Crime Act has been found detained at Bangkok Remand Prison.

The unnamed woman was reportedly arrested on Aug 24 around noon. Officials possibly from the Information and Communications Technology Ministry and police raided her house by breaking the locks and seized a computer without producing a search warrant.

Prachatai was told her family is aware of the detention, and is struggling to post bail due to financial constraints. A civil rights organization has been in contact.

This case marks the second detention under the Computer Crime Act. A report in the Financial Times on Sept 1-2 on the arrest of two Thais had been dismissed by both the ICT Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom and Commander of the Economic and Cyber Crime Division Pol Maj Gen Wisut Wanitchbutr.

Update: Urging a No Vote in the Referendum

14th September

From Thailand Crisis

According to a lawyer, the woman was charged under articles 14 (1) and (2) which prescribe punishment of a maximum of five years’ imprisonment or a Bt100,000 fine for posting false content on the Internet with the intent to harm others and public security.

The lawyer said the woman told him that she was charged because she posted messages urging people to vote no in the referendum on the draft constitution last month.

About 20 police officers raided her house in Pathum Thani on the morning of August 24 and seized her notebook computer without producing a search warrant, said the lawyer.

The woman has now been detained for 20 days and ha not yet achieved bail

 

7th September   Victim of the Computer Crime Act...
 

 
Thai police logoMan released on bail after 2 weeks in prison

From The Nation see full article

A 37-year old man imprisoned for two weeks at Bangkok Remand Prison on charges under the new Computer Crime Act was released on bail yesterday, a source said.

The source confirmed that the man was the webmaster for www.propaganda.forumotion.com, which mainly discusses the monarchy. The webmaster, widely known in the cyber community as Phraya Phichai, was quietly arrested two weeks ago and public access to his website has been denied since then.

Phraya Phichai, a pseudonym, became the first victim of the new Computer Crime Act, which went into effect on July 18.

Though he was arrested on August 24 by Crime Suppression police, he was first seen by his family on September 5th. During his two weeks in custody, Phraya Phichai never consulted with a lawyer, the source said.

According to the source, Phraya Phichai was charged under Article 14 (1) and (2), which prescribes punishment of a maximum five years imprisonment or a Bt100,000 fine for posting false content on the Internet to hurt others and public security.

It was the first time that police exercised their power under the new law and the story was first reported by the Financial Times weekend edition. Quoting a senior Thai official, the London-based paper said authorities have used the law to arrest two Thais for what were deemed particularly offensive comments about the monarchy on Internet chatrooms.

Assuming that Phraya Phichai was one of the two victims cited in the report, a Net surfer has started a weblog called Free Phichai, criticising the arrest and demanding the release of the webmaster. A call echoed by Fah Diew Kan (Same Sky) Publishing house, the publisher of a radical political magazine under the same name.

The Computer Crime Act, proposed by the ICT Ministry, has been mired in controversy since it was drafted due to the excessive power of police, who are allowed to seize computers of people suspected of disseminating "insulting or pornographic" content.

The law raised concerns among both local and international human rights organisations such as Reporters Without Borders, which said it might result in an increasingly restrictive policy towards free expression online.

 

26th August   More Unblocked...
 

 
Video sharing sites Metacafe & veoh unblocked

From Thai Visa

Following on from the unblocking of YouTube, video sharing sites Metacafe & veoh have been also been unblocked.

Meanwhile the first arrests under the Thai Computer Crime have been reported on the front page of the Financial Times' weekend edition.

The paper quoted a senior official as saying that in recent weeks, authorities have used a new computer crime law to arrest two Thais, now in custody, for offensive comments about the monarchy on Internet chat rooms.

 

31st August   Update: YouTurn...
 


You Tube logoThailand unblocks YouTube

Based on an article from The Nation

The government yesterday lifted its ban on the YouTube website after the site's management agreed to block any video clips deemed offensive to Thai people or those that violate Thai law.

Information and Censorship Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookai-yaudom said local Internet surfers would now be able to access the YouTube site, which has been banned since April 3.

This follows an agreement between the Ministry of ICT and YouTube that the site would curb any clips which have contents considered an affront to Thai people or those that violate the Kingdom's laws.

Sitthichai said YouTube had just finished creating a program that would block sensitive video clips from being accessed from Thai Internet service providers (ISPs).

Other video sharing sites, Metacafe & Veoh, remain blocked in Thailand.

 

27th August   Update: Rated R for Restrictive...
 

 
TV Ratings graphic4 month trial of TV ratings starts 1st September

Presumably this nonsense will apply to TrueVision satellite programming too.

From The Nation

The subcommittee in charge of television ratings has approved the use of the revised ratings handbook for a four-month trial from September 1 onwards, PM's Office Minister Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan said.

The classifications were passed by a Cabinet resolution last month.

Nor Programmes requiring parental guidance for 13 to 18 year olds will be prohibited from airing before 8pm.

Adult programmes will be classified Chor and permitted to be shown after 10pm only.

Dhipavadee, who chairs the panel, told reporters after a meeting yesterday that they had approved the handbook, which has been made clearer and more thorough, for use during the trial period. She said that the rating logos would be improved.

She added that TV producers had agreed to add more family-oriented or "Thor"-rated programmes, such as game shows, documentaries, music programmes and religious programmes, during prime time so families could watch television together.

She also said that air-time scheduling was the main consideration since there were different opinions on whether "prime time" should stop at 8pm, 8.30pm or 9pm.

She added that if "Thor" programmes were aired during prime time it would be ideal, though she admitted that they would have to wait and see if it could be done in reality.

Channel 3's operation manager, Somrak Narong-wichai, said the handbook gave enough information about what the programmes should be like and that he would explain the system to his producers so they knew what rating their programmes should aim at.

He said prime time for his station would not be changed but programme content would be adjusted. Somrak said the station's airing schedule would remain unchanged until the end of this year except in detail. For instance dramas aired at 7pm would be less violent and more educational.

 

26th August   More Censored Video..
 

 
Video sharing site veoh blocked

From Thai Visa
See also Wiki

The world popular video sharing site YouTube has been blocked for many months along with an Israeli clone called Metacafe.

Now veoh has been added to the list of blocked video sites.

Veoh is a California-based company that has created a peercasting network for video clip distribution. Unlike other video distribution networks such as YouTube, the company distributes video clip content in its original format, rather than transcoding to a lower bandwidth and lower quality version. Due to this technology, a software download is required to download videos, or view some videos in full quality. The website also offers a YouTube-style Adobe Flash video player that can be run from within a web browser.

veoh also extends beyond video clips into full length internet TV facilities

Update: Reasons

Veoh was blocked earlier this month after a user posted a risque personal video purportedly of the Thai Royal Family.

 

23rd August   Propaganda Radio..
 

 
Big brother is watching youRadio stations reminded of the need to broadcast Government PR

Based on an article from Pattaya City News

Khun Komsan, Deputy Governor of Chonburi Province chaired a meeting of local Radio station Operators to inform them of the current legislation covering public broadcasters.

The Deputy Governor explained each point of law to the 37 registered Radio Stations and stressed the importance of broadcasting important National events such as the forthcoming birthday celebrations for His Majesty the King on 5th December.

It was also stressed that News Broadcasts by the Public Relations Department of the Royal Thai Government must be broadcast three times a day on every station.

The Broadcasters will be given time to change their broadcasting schedules and it was mentioned that Radio Stations who fail to comply with the regulations will be forced to close.

 

18th August   Unlawful Blocking..
 

 
 ICT blocked websiteClaims of website blocking by government threats and intimidation

From the Bangkok Post

Internet law experts and webmasters have lashed out at what they said was the government's illegal blocking of websites and the use of threats and intimidation tactics against webmasters by government officials.

Paiboon Amornpinyokiart, an internet and IT law expert, said nowhere in the controversial Cyber Crime Act _ which was pushed through by the military-appointed government and took effect on July 19 _ does it say the government has the authority to freely block websites. The law says any move to block a website must be backed by a court order.

He said the Information and Communications Technology Ministry (ICT) had to first seek court orders if it wanted to block any ''undesirable'' websites.

The president of the Thai Webmasters Association, Poramate Minsiri, said that the unchecked blocking of websites by the government without court approval was now a major problem.

Webmasters have received phone threats and other various forms of intimidation from officials criticising content on their websites and threatening to ban them, he said. Poramate also said the officials intimidating them had refused to reveal their names.

He said webmasters had provided software programs such as Ultrasurf to internet users to reverse the blocking but had then been told off by the ICT for distributing the programs. Poramate said ICT officials should carefully study the scope of their authority permitted under the new computer crime law and alter their actions accordingly.

 

24th July   Restricting Free Expression..
 

 
Reporters without Borders logoInternational criticism for Thai Cyber Crime Act

From Reporters without Borders
See also Computer Crime Act 2007 A translation of the law

Reporters Without Borders voiced concern about the Computer Crime Act that took effect on 18 July. It allows the police to seize the computer files and online files of persons suspected of disseminating insulting or pornographic content.

The Thai military government is using the fight against pornography to conceal an increasingly restrictive policy towards online free expression, the press freedom organisation said. The government must combat online criminality and the sexual exploitation of human beings without committing new violations of free speech or personal privacy.

The new law requires Internet Service Providers to keep the online data of individual Internet users for 90 days. The authorities are empowered to examine this information without any judicial oversight. The police are also allowed to seize computers if they suspect illegal use has been made of them.

Supinya Klangnarong, a member of the local NGO Freedom against Censorship in Thailand (FACT), described the law as a threat and violation of privacy. FACT said the measures do not aim to prevent, as [the authorities] claim, but to control, adding that the range of websites banned by the government went far beyond the requirements of the fight against pornography and “insults” to the monarchy.”

 

21st July   More Scary Shite...

 
Martial law?Anti-Materials Provoking Dangerous Behaviours Bill

From the Bangkok Post

Last week, Cabinet submitted to the National Legislative Assembly an Anti-Materials Provoking Dangerous Behaviours Bill (in Thai at www.lawamendment.go.th).

Like the Film Act, this bill seems to have been written with such autocratic motives that threaten to violate our basic human rights.

The bill aims at curbing the making and distribution of ''sexually perverse'' and ''suicide-inducing'' materials through books, photographs, moving images, telephone as well as other electronic media.

What's disturbing is that this bill deems it a criminal offence for anyone to possess such materials, and that to facilitate the enforcement of this law, government officials have the right to enter residences, places or vehicles suspected to contain such materials... without having to obtain a search warrant.

The law defines acts of sexual perversion as sex between three or more participants, including group sex, sexual act that employs tools or equipment that could be harmful to the body and life, sex between ancestor and offspring, and sex with animals or corpses.

Since this country is being ruled by the military, we should study every new legislation carefully with the knowledge that the Parliament which holds the power to pass it is not a legitimate body of elected representatives. The military, at every point in the history of mankind, has never been respected as a champion of human rights, and any law that allows state officials to enter our homes without a search warrant sounds alarmingly Stalinist.

Such a law automatically swings open a door for the rulers to exploit it for political manipulation, to retrieve and monitor private information, all this at the expense of the people's basic rights, including, if I may, the right to watch Debbie Does Dallas in the privacy of one's own home.

 

18th July   Gone Down the Tube..
 

 
 ICT blocked websiteRepressive new Internet law comes into force

From The Nation
See also The Draft law in English on FACT

The 2007 Computer-related Crimes Act also prevents unauthorised applications and access made to other people's computers, as well as alteration, deletion or destruction of the information of others.

Impostors using others' identities to send slanderous messages, or those who flood information on discussion forums are also subject to criminal penalties under the law, proposed and drafted by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) and enforced by the Information and Communications Technology Ministry.

The Act also subjects those circulating pornographic material or libellous content through e-mails to heavy fines.

The Act also requires Internet service providers (ISPs) to keep log files of bandwidth consumption and Internet traffic and records of individual users for 90 days.

 

15th July   Metacafe Blocked...
 

 
MetacafeVideo sharing site added to the blocked list

See Metacafe (or not)

Thailand are clearly getting paranoid over video sharing sites as they have now blocked metacafe.

Regardless of all the hype about the end to the block on YouTube, it is still solidly blocked along with over 10,000 other sites.

 

10th July   Update: Soaps Reprieved...
 

 
TV Ratings graphicThai Government backs off banning the beloved soapy dramas

Based on an article from Bangkok Post

The government has opted to set up a sub-committee to solve a dispute over television ratings and proposed broadcasting restrictions, rather than push ahead with its restrictive new regulations.

The move came after entertainers and people in the television production business protested against the proposed meticulous restrictions, which would determine what time programmes can or cannot be aired.

They said the restrictions, drawn up by academics, NGOs and state authorities, were impractical.

 

9th July   Update: Rated S for State Censorship...
 

 
BBFC 15 certificateThai film censors to be dominated by bureaucrats

Based on an article from the Bangkok Post

The government's attempt to pass the Film Bill has run into oppositi