While having my magictoolthatcannotbediscussedhere turned off yesterday, I tried to access the website http://www.mashable.com/ by clicking on the link through a design showcase website. Without knowing the contents, I landed on the Thai Ministry website, which obviously redirected the link to their website, because they banned the website.

It looks like the above mentioned website has a blog about YouTube, MySpace, etc. and other 'online social network' sites. So I decided to email the Ministry and I promptly got a response back, that this website was blocked because it contained links to YouTube.

So it seems they're now blocking websites that link to blocked websites? Next thing you know is they'll block the Google directory and search engine, because it links to YouTube. Isn't this getting a bit silly?

I wrote them back that I'll continue to access them, whether they block it or not and promptly got another response saying that they "only block websites that are bad for you".

Either way, at least they got fast "customer service".

While in many countries poeple like to blog,

Thailand became the hub of websites-blockers.

Isn't this getting a bit silly?

YES

Thailand became the hub of websites-blockers.

And the hub of taking things to far and many other things for that matter.....................

Edited April 23, 200719 yr by aussiestyle1983

It's all getting a little bit silly.

I'm on Maxnet and have free access to several websites which supposedly should be blocked, including the one you mentioned before.

On the other hand I cannot access several websites which should be unblocked, like camfrog for example (which recently was unblocked).

On my back-up GPRS I can perfectly access camfrog, but the above mentioned website comes up with a access denied (policy denied) message...

Go figure... Guess if you have enough different ISP's pretty much all websites can be accessed without resorting to your magictoolthatcannotbediscussedhere

Anyway, doesn't bother me that much, I'm not into that stuff anyway, but what definitely gets me in a twist is when they start blocking IP addresses of a webhost running multiple websites on the same IP (shared hosting, pretty much the standard on cheaper hosting packages)

Sometimes I think Thailand would really like to disappear up its own arse, and become a totalitarian state.

But then again, that would take will, organisation, and a measure of competence.

It's all getting a little bit silly.

I'm on Maxnet and have free access to several websites which supposedly should be blocked, including the one you mentioned before.

On the other hand I cannot access several websites which should be unblocked, like camfrog for example (which recently was unblocked).

On my back-up GPRS I can perfectly access camfrog, but the above mentioned website comes up with a access denied (policy denied) message...

Go figure... Guess if you have enough different ISP's pretty much all websites can be accessed without resorting to your magictoolthatcannotbediscussedhere

Anyway, doesn't bother me that much, I'm not into that stuff anyway, but what definitely gets me in a twist is when they start blocking IP addresses of a webhost running multiple websites on the same IP (shared hosting, pretty much the standard on cheaper hosting packages)

On TOC a few days back, they we're proudly discussing a proposal for the govt to take over control of ALL communications in Thailand. Nice centralized control. Don't have to ask ISP's anymore to block websites. Good for monitoring as well I should think.

Selling the idea on the ticket of 'efficiency'. The interviewer who is normally the brightest spark on TOC, was nodding and agreeing with wide smiles and 'what a good idea!'. Scary.

Edited April 23, 200719 yr by OlRedEyes

I guess we should all be grateful they decide for us what's good for us and what isn't. Asking them to tell the population what food is healthy or not healthy instead of what websites are good or bad for us would probably be too much to ask ...

Sometimes I think Thailand would really like to disappear up its own arse, and become a totalitarian state.

But then again, that would take will, organisation, and a measure of competence.

Don't you read the news?

Will they ban TV, there are links for youtube kicking around here!!

Will they ban TV, there are links for youtube kicking around here!!

Probably being hurriedly removed...

Soundman.

Will they ban TV, there are links for youtube kicking around here!!

Don't worry, they won't turn off your cable TV. They might walk in and take your TV, but you'll still have your UBC subscription ...

Will they ban TV, there are links for youtube kicking around here!!

Don't worry, they won't turn off your cable TV. They might walk in and take your TV, but you'll still have your UBC subscription ...

Ahhhhhh - hence 'rainman'!!

It;s a nice scare tactic but almost impossible to execute in practice. In order to block any site that has indirect links to another site requires the "blocker" to know which sites have such links. Given the capabilities of " server hopping" techniques it's a waste of time to even try. Good for PR and doubtless more surfers will be seeing "The Big Eye" but it's a token gesture at best.

I used to watch the Simpsons on youtube. They should have left well alone and no-one would ever have known about it. Now you've got people out there looking for stuff to block. Complete madness in the 21st century.

Monty

I wondered where all the Thai girls had gone on Camfrog,there used to be hundreds on all the time, there a few getting on stickam now, which is actually much better,no adult rooms though.

So I decided to email the Ministry and I promptly got a response back, that this website was blocked because it contained links to YouTube.

Can you post that email so that we can all start inquiring about when they're going to get their sh*t together? I for one love watching youtube for things other than derogatory comments about the king and even have the general inclination to censor myself when it comes to those things. I'm just not interested.

Sometimes I think Thailand would really like to disappear up its own arse, and become a totalitarian state...

"..become.."???

Jeez, where have you been?

I tried to access the website http://www.mashable.com/ by clicking on the link through a design showcase website. Without knowing the contents, I landed on the Thai Ministry website, which obviously redirected the link to their website, because they banned the website.

opens without any difficulty whatsoever... from within Thailand.... and without any special tools...

I tried to access the website http://www.mashable.com/ by clicking on the link through a design showcase website. Without knowing the contents, I landed on the Thai Ministry website, which obviously redirected the link to their website, because they banned the website.

opens without any difficulty whatsoever... from within Thailand.... and without any special tools...

Blocked at 3 PM. With True ADSL in Bangkok.

It's really weird.

That Thai Ministry for 'The Big Eye" must have missed this one.

I can get onto mashable in Phuket.

3.50pm tt&t. Maxnet connection.

I tried to access the website http://www.mashable.com/ by clicking on the link through a design showcase website. Without knowing the contents, I landed on the Thai Ministry website, which obviously redirected the link to their website, because they banned the website.

opens without any difficulty whatsoever... from within Thailand.... and without any special tools...

Blocked at 3 PM. With True ADSL in Bangkok.

It's really weird.

remains wide open at 4pm

Sometimes I think Thailand would really like to disappear up its own arse, and become a totalitarian state...

"..become.."???

Jeez, where have you been?

When cctv is installed on every street, and credit card purchases build a profile of you in some local govt file, when state spying becomes all-pervasive; then you have the start of totalitarianism. It does require a level of vigilance and will that Thailand is fortunately too inept to ever successfully introduce.

The UK and USA however, are starting to look like something out of George Orwell's imagination.

sometimes the people blocking the sites, block the entire server its on...pure genious (not)

as an update and perhaps maybe we can put this thread to bed....

STILL no problem accessing it from within Thailand... but did notice a curious notice they themselves published:

www.mashables.com

And…We’re Back

April 27, 2007 — 11:49 PM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Add a Comment

A few of you may have noticed that Mashable’s performance these past few days has been, well, kinda sucky. We changed the hosting setup ......

The problem is too much traffic, which I guess isn’t such a bad problem to have........