Chalerm set to crack down on websites

Submitted by prachatai on Tue, 13/12/2011 - 14:00

Deputy Prime Minister Pol Capt Chalerm Yubamrung is set to begin his crackdown on websites offensive to the monarchy, and has sought a budget of 400 million baht to buy new equipment to block foreign websites.

On 12 Dec, before a meeting of his recently appointed committee to suppress inappropriate internet content at the Royal Thai Police, Chalerm said that previous governments had tried to deal with inappropriate content but had failed.  Some people claimed that because some websites were located abroad, it was difficult to take legal action against them, but for websites in the country they could not make any arrest.  So they just lied.  Websites abroad cannot be banned, but can be blocked, he said.

He said that an expert, a Deputy Commander of the police Technology Crime Suppression Division, had told him that there was technology which can ‘cut the signal’ of websites from abroad and requires a budget of 400 million baht.  So he had told the Prime Minister’s Secretary to have the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology prepare the budget and procurement.

He said that he and the Police Chief did not want to manage the budget themselves, but the police would be willing to work.

From now on, offensive content must decrease, and harsh measures will be taken, he said.

Chalerm said that some people were concerned about the image of the country in the eyes of NGOs and other countries, but this was Thailand, and this was not a violation of people’s rights.

When reporters raised the point that some anti-monarchy groups were associated with red shirts, Chalerm said that whoever broke the law must be arrested, no matter what colour. 

According to the meeting, the MICT has a list of 200 websites in Thailand which are considered offensive to the monarchy, and is prepared to deal with these websites in coordination with the police.

It was reported that on 6 Dec, Chalerm and Police Chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong had lunch with Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and Minister of Defence Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapha, and concerns were raised about offensive content on the internet.  The Prime Minister appointed this committee on the following day as proposed by Chalerm.

Source: 

http://www.dailynews.co.th/politics/2849

"...told him that there was

Submitted by Patrick H. (not verified) on Tue, 13/12/2011 - 22:27.

"...told him that there was technology which can ‘cut the signal’ of websites from abroad and requires a budget of 400 million baht."

From those who brought us the GT200 technology.

So Chalerm is going to "crack

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 06:15.

So Chalerm is going to "crack down" on elements of his own UDD anti-monarchy movement? US funded Prachatai thinks you're stupid. I don't - here is how it really works.

The US funds, backs, and directs both NGOs like Prachatai, the UDD, and Thaksin's proxy political party - this is all on record.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/confirmed-thailands-pro-democracy.html

By pursing increasingly ridiculous and easily assailable LM cases, Chalerm is giving ammunition for NGOs like Prachatai to further undermine and diminish the Monarchy in the eyes of the world &, they hope, in the eyes of Thai people.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/12/us-feigns-concern-over-freedom-of.html

Prachatai will never dare to attack PT directly over LM. Watch the charade.

hu is PT ???

Submitted by huka (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 14:55.

hu is PT ???

FGA, why doesn't Prachatai's

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 07:06.

FGA, why doesn't Prachatai's Thai page also explain who funds them? Why isn't Prachatai's "About Us" page have a Thai language version?

No time - or continued duplicity?

Where is the "FEARLESS!"

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 06:36.

Where is the "FEARLESS!" marchers calling out Chalerm by name? And of course - why don't they mention that the current "democratically elected" government is in fact run by an unelected autocrat funded by the West, and living abroad - Thaksin Shinawatra? From A-Z the problem right now facing democracy and the rule of law in Thailand is PT, nepotism, cronyism, autocracy, and their abuse of the laws of Thailand to suit their political agenda - not the laws themselves.

When Prachatai - who is funded by the same people backing Thaksin - FACT - start focusing solely on PT, Chalerm, and the unelected dictator running PT from abroad - we might be able to take them seriously along with their claims that their millions of baht a year from the US government isn't affecting their "independent reporting."

Clearly it is.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/confirmed-thailands-pro-democracy.html

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/exposed-indy-newspaper-funded-by-us.html

I challenge Pracahtai to

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 06:47.

I challenge Pracahtai to report the full truth - both sides - regarding Thaksin and his foreign funding, along with pointing out (in both Thai and English) that many of the same people funding Thaksin overtly, on record are also funding Prachatai.

Post this as relentlessly as you do your other "causes" and I guarantee you that by sharing the documented truth, not only will you get attacked by your foreign-sponsors, you will also see people in mass turn against you. You cannot survive the truth.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/confirmed-thailands-pro-democracy.html

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/exposed-indy-newspaper-funded-by-us.html

The truth that Prachatai willfully and consistently hides is its worst enemy. And while it preaches transparency, open society, and human dignity they offer their readers none-of-the-above - sheepishly disclosing their funding only after months of hounding by even their own founder - and still not fully explaining to their readers the implications of having Thaksin lobbyists lining the organizations that fund their "independent journalism!"

I expect instead, censorship, more lies, more downplaying, and more of the same.

"Deputy Prime Minister Pol

Submitted by john francis Lee (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 07:27.

"Deputy Prime Minister Pol Capt Chalerm Yubamrung is set to begin his crackdown on websites offensive to the monarchy, and has sought a budget of 400 million baht to buy new equipment to block foreign websites."

My friend, the great American Patriot Patrick Henry, speaking from the grave - who while alive challenged the tyrants to give him liberty or to give him death in his own name - not quite so brave now as when actually living, yet has nailed this one : cynical, corrupt, socio-pathic business as usual.

Great a megaproject and skim it. Makes no difference who suffers. It won't be you. At least not for the next 15 minutes. Not between socio-pathic crimes. Who cares whether you dam the flow of water or of information, as long as 30% falls into the 'right' damn pocket.

Yingluck! Rid us of this scum! He is destroying not 'just' Thailand but... your popularity~.. and with it... Phuea Thai's hold on power!.. and with that... your job as people's walk-on, first-female PM, last-best hope of... 'elitist' politics in Thailand !

Tony: Maybe they are waiting

Submitted by Frank G Anderson (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 07:42.

Tony:
Maybe they are waiting for you, the head of the table on lack of transparency other than "Guys, JUST read my stuff," to open up, tell us not only who funds you, but who you are. Prachatai has information on some of its funding, you have none. We know who Prachatai is, we don't know who you are. We are swiveled around to look in the other direction - by you.
If you have the courage of your convictions, and appear to, come out of the closet. I am pretty confident that even Prachatai would carry the complete interview.
Any comment, by the way, on the latest widow who claims her husband's murder was politically motivated and not a personal score being settled? The story indicated a high level military officer having called the Democrat candidate to offer financial support for his election. Let me see...military support of political candidates....military support of Democrat candidates. Hmmmmm...and the military is not supposed to be involved in politics. I'm, as usual, confused.

Prachatai is the one LYING to

Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Thu, 15/12/2011 - 19:31.

Prachatai is the one LYING to its readers claiming it is "independent" - how exactly are you "independent" when your entire existence depends on millions of baht sent to you a year by foreign governments? Especially from foreign governments openly involved in seeking global hegemony financially, militarily, politically, and institutionally?

So right there Prachatai is LYING. Then they post their funding - but have the nerve to continue calling themselves independent. They also don't post their funding in Thai - and there lies the truth - they fear telling the truth.

They won't dare report Thaksin's ties with the US and their ties to even those that fund Prachatai, in English OR Thai, nor will they tell their Thai audience that they are foreign-funded. Prachatai fears the truth - the truth would gut them in the matter of weeks.

Prachatai are traitors - they work for foreign corporate fascists - they have lied about, and to this day keep the information from their Thai audience while lying to their English speaking audience about being "independent." We know that NED contacts their grantees frequently and coordinate politically motivated operations with them around the world - the funding does NOT come with no strings attached. Prachatai is ALSO lying about their "not receiving conditions."

Since they've lied once and have been caught, continue to lie to this day, - the burden of proof now lies with them. They need to come COMPLETELY clean or risk never being trusted ever again - but then again who would trust "Thai" "journalists" funded by the US government?

As far as "my funding" go read my blog FGA - doesn't take a genius to figure out NO ONE would fund my work - I call on people to boycott all large corporations and replace them all with local solutions. Who does that benefit besides the people freeing themselves from dependency on corporations and political machines? Stop twisting around Prachatai's despicable behavior and making it as if people simply pointing it out are the "bad guys."

From the recent AHRC report

Submitted by SomeRandom (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 11:21.

From the recent AHRC report on Thailand:

"The Special Rapporteur highlighted that Thailand has been a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights since 1996, which contains legally binding human rights obligations, including the obligation to fully guarantee the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds. He acknowledged that the exercise of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities. For this reason, under certain exceptional circumstances, the right may be limited, including to protect the reputation of individuals and to protect national security; however, that these circumstances had to be clearly stipulated and delimited, which was not the case in Thailand, he said:

“The Thai penal code and the Computer Crimes Act do not meet these criteria. The laws are vague and overly broad, and the harsh criminal sanctions are neither necessary nor proportionate to protect the monarchy or national security.” "
_________

I wasn't aware Thailand was a party. But I think I read it somewhere and forgot.
Anyway, seems Thailandis sliding as far backwards as backwards goes. It's clearly lost all respect for human rights and freedom of speech, and has no intention to honor it's own word. And the good men remain silent, let us not forget. They acquiesce through silence.

i agree with you ! human

Submitted by mikel (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 15:09.

i agree with you ! human rights in thailand are DEAD !

“MICT has a list of 200

Submitted by CJ Hinke (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 15:13.

“MICT has a list of 200 websites in Thailand which are considered offensive to the monarchy” yet Thai govt is blocking 767,626 URLs today. None of the websites blocked by the military agencies CRES and CAPO from April 10 to December 22, 2010 during the Democrat regime’s “emergency” suspending rule of law have been unblocked.
Now the elites and their henchman are telling us about “technology which can ‘cut the signal’ of websites from abroad” requiring “a budget of 400 million baht” to block (wait for it!)…200 “websites” touting “lèse majesté”.
OMG! What a threat to the “institution"!
Bottom line for the Thai taxpayer? 20 million baht ($640,000 US) to block each website!
We’re fairly certain you could send the admins of those websites a govt cheque for somewhat less and every one of them would shut down voluntary!
(Note to self: What a great idea for a home business!)

You're forgetting the

Submitted by Postman (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 20:20.

You're forgetting the commissions. This is Chalerm after all...

You need to reduce the 20,000,000Bt by 40% to get an actual expenditure figure. So its probably only 12,000,000Bt actually spent on each site.

Seems cheap at the price.

Remember that Chalerm is still building a case for being PM when El Presidente Thaksin decides sister dear simply won't do when the home boys and girls come back into play next year.

PPT cites the Bangkok Post

Submitted by john francis lee (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 20:26.

PPT cites the Bangkok Post Between the sacred and the profane

There is no denying... that the highly revered institution has been dragged through the political muck and, in many instances, treated with utmost contempt by some people. If that were not the case, then why would two successive governments need to appoint high-level commissions to deal with websites and online discussions defaming the monarchy?

It cannot be the case that two successive governments are equally wrong? My grandmother used to answer my assertions that there could be no place such as hell because god was all-loving and would never send souls there. Her reply came in the form of a question from the depths of her Irish heart, "Then where is Oliver Cromwell?" Both governments will find themselves in the sort of Buddhist hells you see as sideshows at rural wats for their treatment of innocent Thais in the name of and at the expense of HM King Bhumipol.

Reasoning like Atiya's in this case shows Supreme Court potential here in Thailand. Unless Atiya really is signaling, in cryptic fashion given where she works, that which is more apparent to ordinary observers every day : that it is the rabid Royalists themselves, in two successive governments Thai governments who are dragging the revered institution through the political muck.

There ought to be a demonstration on the streets of Bangkok by all those who love HM King Bhumipol, all those who respect HM King Bhumipol, all those who just hate to see the man drug through the muck of politics... hands off the monarchy! No more lese majeste pogroms in HM King Bhumipol's name! Keep the revered institution out of your political mire and muck!

You're a cheerful, reasonable, and practical woman Yingluk... would you please tell the boys, and some of the girls, enough is enough! No more lese majeste Inquisitions! Stop dragging the revered institution into politics!

Chalerm and Anudith are just going to have to dream up another mega-project to skim. Should be no problem for guys as 'creative' as they are.