Thailand Gets New Cyber Crime Law

[cclub75]

You'll note the amazing -and usual- megalomania of those people.

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to damage the country both ''directly and indirectly''.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10May2007_news06.php

The thai authorities think that their law can overcome laws in other countries...

Shame and brainless. Again and again and again.

[highdiver]

Wow !!!

if you read all the post untill now it really looks like this.

take a post from the news. not read it through and then start bashing away. some of the posts here sound like the old thai ladies in the market.

As for the facts. lets try and understand wht the original post is

The chief immediate effect of the new bill will be to outlaw any attempt to get around government censors to access any of the tens of thousands of sites censored for moral or political purposes, or "to damage the country".

Web sites that contain content that is ileagal or harm in any way the thai law in thailand will be blocked. it is allready done but the new bill adreeses all the issues that need to be made

The government pushed the new law by saying it hopes the bill will provide an effective legal tool to fight cyber crime, including theft of data and chatroom contacts that lead to rape.

Thailand does not have a proper bill and as such the govermant can nopt prosecute anyone untill they have a proper law.

The National Legislative Assembly approved the Cyber Crime Bill, which gives officials power to crack down effectively on hacking and internet-related crimes through harsher punishments.

good!!! and i hope that if the catch the hackers they will have the law defining they can be hung.

The bill sailed through its third reading on Wednesday by a vote of 119 to 1. It requires royal endorsement before it can be formally enacted into law.

The bill regards as a crime the intention to withhold internet protocol (IP) addresses and violators are subject to severe punishment, according to the NLA special committee assigned to scrutinise the law.

withholding IP is NOT !!! I repeat NOT!! a request from isp to disclose users. it is relating to those users who wish to overide the law by loging on using one ip and consealing it using hackers tactics pretending to be another IP. as such they overide the law by sending spam e mails publishing cencored web sites and frauding people, as well as hacking attempts.

any one using a firwall knowes that once you assert an attack from a IP you block it. as such many IP adresses have been blocked because hackers and frauds were using them.

by the way most ISP ban this habbit as it creates problems for them. but as long as it is not a law you can not enforce it.

this by the way is a crime in many other countries as well.

The IP is a unique address used to identify computer users while communicating with others on the network. However, the committee said, "ill-intentioned users" often hide or falsify their computer addresses so that they can easily carry out illegal acts and get away with them.

you understand!!!hackers are using your IP to create crimes and you get the blame

The committee believed tighter controls on IP addresses would help tackle the root cause of cyber problems.

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to "damage the country both directly and indirectly".

and all those of you who think this is a Thai invention please look at the following web site.

Thailand is one of the last countries to have a cyber crime bill.

http://www.cybercrimelaw.net/

[Kyosuken]

Anyway as for piracy, it cannot be stoped in any way (or well the only solution is no internet at all ). True pirates won't get caught as always only mr average joe, who is not caring much may get caught and i have yet to see. If they think they can monitor everything going on they are day dreaming, not that it's impossible but i have yet to see the people of ToT who took nearly a month to fix their sucky Internet being smart enough to monitor everything.

Or maybe they will do the stupid way Filter every swear words coming from Thailand to track the filthy internet user .

[steffi]

I'm still wondering how the plan to sue Google. Not quite sure of the international law that was broken there.

You'll note the amazing -and usual- megalomania of those people.

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to damage the country both ''directly and indirectly''.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10May2007_news06.php

The thai authorities think that their law can overcome laws in other countries...

Shame and brainless. Again and again and again.

[highdiver]

You'll note the amazing -and usual- megalomania of those people.

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to damage the country both ''directly and indirectly''.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10May2007_news06.php

The thai authorities think that their law can overcome laws in other countries...

Shame and brainless. Again and again and again.

unfortunately you dont understand law..

it is within the right of the law maker to define an ileagal act if it was done within boundries or out of them.

when Bin Laden planed and executed the attack on the USA he was not in america. but under the law in the US they consider him as punishable.

Thailand will not hunt you down like the americans do... but if you come to thailand you can be prosecuted even if the

crime overiding Thai law was made in another country.

Mopst countries in the world are the same...

[rychrde]

Lest anyone think this is just another Thai-in-the-sky idea read this about what the USA are doing

http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/CALEA/?f=faq.html

CALEA compliance set for 14 May 2007.

rych

[Mid]

The IP is a unique address used to identify computer users while communicating with others on the network. However, the committee said, "ill-intentioned users" often hide or falsify their computer addresses so that they can easily carry out illegal acts and get away with them.

you understand!!!hackers are using your IP to create crimes and you get the blame

proxies .........................................................................

[ChiangMaiAmerican]

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to "damage the country both directly and indirectly".

and all those of you who think this is a Thai invention please look at the following web site.

Thailand is one of the last countries to have a cyber crime bill.

http://www.cybercrimelaw.net/

Penalties apply to all illegal acts using the internet, including those carried out abroad and deemed to "damage the country both directly and indirectly".

And just what is an illegal act deemed to "damage the country both directly and indirectly" ? There does not appear to be a clear and concise definition which is troubling. If the law gives wide latitude to individual officials as many laws here do it is even more troubling. If you have any knowledge of a concise definition we would all appreciate knowing it.

As far as other countries enacting cybercrime legislation, the site you reference gives this definition of cybercrime,

"What is cybercrime Cybercrimelaws on this web site refers to offenses against the information technology infrastructure. Such conducts includes:

• illegal access: the access to the whole or any part of a computer system without right
  
• illegal interception: the interception without right, made by technical means, of non-public transmissions of computer data to, from or within a computer system
  
• data interference: the damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of computer data without right
  
• system interference: the serious hindering without right of the functioning of a computer system by inputting, transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating, altering or suppressing computer data
  
• misuse of devices
  
• forgery
  
• fraud"
  

In as far as the new law addresses those issues, it is badly needed and welcomed. But it appears to address much more than that.

[LivinLOS]

The bill regards as a crime the intention to withhold internet protocol (IP) addresses and violators are subject to severe punishment, according to the NLA special committee assigned to scrutinise the law.

withholding IP is NOT !!! I repeat NOT!! a request from isp to disclose users. it is relating to those users who wish to overide the law by loging on using one ip and consealing it using hackers tactics pretending to be another IP. as such they overide the law by sending spam e mails publishing cencored web sites and frauding people, as well as hacking attempts.

any one using a firwall knowes that once you assert an attack from a IP you block it. as such many IP adresses have been blocked because hackers and frauds were using them.

by the way most ISP ban this habbit as it creates problems for them. but as long as it is not a law you can not enforce it.

this by the way is a crime in many other countries as well.

The IP is a unique address used to identify computer users while communicating with others on the network. However, the committee said, "ill-intentioned users" often hide or falsify their computer addresses so that they can easily carry out illegal acts and get away with them.

you understand!!!hackers are using your IP to create crimes and you get the blame

Says who ?? The act your referring to is IP spoofing and would be described as IP masquerading or falsifying your IP in plain English.. Thats NOT what they have said in English..

They have made it a crime to with hold (not release) IP addresses.

I am wondering if your low level of computer terminology combined with perhaps non native english skills is confusing the issue.. Wityh holding an IP is clearly NOT the same as IP spoofing.. How you can read it as such is beyond me.

[astral]

?? So are there any forums on Thai Visa on how to circumvent censorship... or is that "self censored"..??

Please note that this aspect of the subject is taboo and any further mention will result in action.

See the Forum Rules for details.

Thank you.

Astral

Moderator

[DirkGently]

In simple 'Yes' or 'No' language.

I have a friend of a friend who knows a guy that used to mow the lawn of a co-worker that is an avid downloader of music etc and I understand that he also views a popular video website.

Does he have anything to worry about?

I'm sure he couldn't care less about arguments about the junta, China and other political tosh, he just wants to know if he should be concerned.

[andy1308]

In simple 'Yes' or 'No' language.

I have a friend of a friend who knows a guy that used to mow the lawn of a co-worker that is an avid downloader of music etc and I understand that he also views a popular video website.

Does he have anything to worry about?

I'm sure he couldn't care less about arguments about the junta, China and other political tosh, he just wants to know if he should be concerned.

I think the simple answer is no - he should be aware but not concerned right now. Not until we know the full extent of what has been approved. I am trying (without much success so far) to get a copy of the actual draft law that has been approved. I'll update you if I do manage to get it.

[pjallittle]

Dear God, what is this country coming to?

So now when if I use one of those "ways of circumventing censorship" to view a site that they feel is unsuitable for me, i'm to expect a knock-knock on the door from the old dam ruad? Unbelievable!

I can't seriously imagine though how they intend to police this thing. There must be thousands if not millions of internet users in this country that use pr*xies to access banned sites; do they really have the technology infrastructure and the manpower to bring all those offenders to justice?

I suppost that the guy sitting in the prison in China figured the same thing. Want to try your theory out?

Guess what, you're in a country with their laws, no one says you have to stay.

[thefusilier]

Dear God, what is this country coming to?

So now when if I use one of those "ways of circumventing censorship" to view a site that they feel is unsuitable for me, i'm to expect a knock-knock on the door from the old dam ruad? Unbelievable!

I can't seriously imagine though how they intend to police this thing. There must be thousands if not millions of internet users in this country that use pr*xies to access banned sites; do they really have the technology infrastructure and the manpower to bring all those offenders to justice?

I suppost that the guy sitting in the prison in China figured the same thing. Want to try your theory out?

Guess what, you're in a country with their laws, no one says you have to stay.

He shouldn't be expected to leave just because he dosn't approve of some of their laws.

[girlx]

hmm i don't know about you guys but i love the king, and think the junta is doing a great job thus far.

[rogerman]

Doesn't this also mean that T"Land is becoming more and more of a dictatorship than anything else?

[Hobox]

Thailand will not hunt you down like the americans do... but if you come to thailand you can be prosecuted even if the

crime overiding Thai law was made in another country.

Mopst countries in the world are the same...[/color]

Not so.

Only certain well defined acts are subject to prosecution if committed in a different country. For instance sex with minors are a typical thing that most countries regard as illegal even if it happened in a different country.

What Thailand is saying is that what they regard as "Internet crime" is so severe that they will prosecute you even if you committed them abroad and that are not the case in most other countries.

[A_Traveller]

I'm trying to understand this. Is there a more detailed report out there, anyone?

Presently the suggestion would appear to be that any use of techniques to shield your originating IP address to a destination site would be deemed illegal?

Are there any provisions for ISP data retention polices? This is where the functioning of the law would be key. For ThaiVisa of course, the policies of data retention by both the provider and the Singapore government are their critical points and as such this law does not impact them per se, though would there be pressure of web sites 'here' to deny access {editing?} from say an onion routing protocol {as an example Wikipedia does just that to avoid 'anonymous' editing}.

The problem with all these things is what is defined as 'harmful' to the reputation of the country. A suggestion that spaghetti tops cause lascivious behavior could lead to the baning of a range of female apparel sites I guess, at least around songkran.

The charge to control is always led by the 'we need this to deal with paedophiles, pornographers, hackers, {and anyone who's not 'one of us' [sotto voice]}. One day of course one discovers that you are not one of us any longer too...

Regards

[Bananaman]

Dear God, what is this country coming to?

So now when if I use one of those "ways of circumventing censorship" to view a site that they feel is unsuitable for me, i'm to expect a knock-knock on the door from the old dam ruad? Unbelievable!

I can't seriously imagine though how they intend to police this thing. There must be thousands if not millions of internet users in this country that use pr*xies to access banned sites; do they really have the technology infrastructure and the manpower to bring all those offenders to justice?

I suppost that the guy sitting in the prison in China figured the same thing. Want to try your theory out?

Guess what, you're in a country with their laws, no one says you have to stay.

Ain't you the veritable paragon of virtue? I suppose you always wear a helmet when riding a motorbike, have never gone the wrong way up the slip lane rather than trek to the next u-turn and always buy your beer inside of licensing hours.

You "if you don't like it go home" types are such hackneyed one-string fiddles.

[Aussietraveller]

The problem i see with the law that they intend to pass, is that it will be vague, and open to interpretation by the enforcing body.

Therefore, it will be open to abuse.

It is similar to the situation we currently have with the Visa laws. Their interpretation is up the immigration officer.

To make it illegal anywhere in the world to say nasty things about Thailand is a joke.

The fear that i have is that the level of censorship and blocking on web sites will escalate.

[vermin on arrival]

And things continue to get worse in the LOS. Cybercrime should be prosecuted, but it seems as if this law goes well beyond that. Going after people for indirectly damaging the reputation of Thailand? My god that could mean anything. If you say that you were on holiday in Thailand and were cheated by touts, have you damged Thailand's reputation?

If someone hypothetically said that he thought Toxin was horrible and originally supported the coup, but was now disgusted with the way the country was run and believed that the CNS was rapidly turning the country into a xenophobic disaster, would that be damaging to Thailand's rep? Could they demand your user information/ip address for that?

[wintermute]

Dear God, what is this country coming to?

So now when if I use one of those "ways of circumventing censorship" to view a site that they feel is unsuitable for me, i'm to expect a knock-knock on the door from the old dam ruad? Unbelievable!

I can't seriously imagine though how they intend to police this thing. There must be thousands if not millions of internet users in this country that use pr*xies to access banned sites; do they really have the technology infrastructure and the manpower to bring all those offenders to justice?

I suppost that the guy sitting in the prison in China figured the same thing. Want to try your theory out?

Guess what, you're in a country with their laws, no one says you have to stay.

Ain't you the veritable paragon of virtue? I suppose you always wear a helmet when riding a motorbike, have never gone the wrong way up the slip lane rather than trek to the next u-turn and always buy your beer inside of licensing hours.

You "if you don't like it go home" types are such hackneyed one-string fiddles.

There's nothing inherently wrong with him stating the usual "if you dont like it go home" prattle. It's what most Thais think because their whole society is weaned on feudalism. It actually doesn't bother me much either because countries like Thailand that are backwards to this degree usually only end up harming themselves in the longrun. Just look at Burma's "progress" over the last 50 years. It's still stuck in the late 19th century as far as industrialization and infrastructure goes. The fact is SE Asian culture has always existed around little petty feudal fiefdoms that wage war with each other over minor spoils. This will not change in the modern era so the holdovers will always enforce their hierarchy on the locals. It's certainly good news for the developed and more "open" developing nations in NE Asia as they will face reduced global competition from the region.

[marquess]

And things continue to get worse in the LOS. Cybercrime should be prosecuted, but it seems as if this law goes well beyond that. Going after people for indirectly damaging the reputation of Thailand? My god that could mean anything. If you say that you were on holiday in Thailand and were cheated by touts, have you damged Thailand's reputation?

If someone hypothetically said that he thought Toxin was horrible and originally supported the coup, but was now disgusted with the way the country was run and believed that the CNS was rapidly turning the country into a xenophobic disaster, would that be damaging to Thailand's rep? Could they demand your user information/ip address for that?

Once it's on the books it will never be removed, as it will prove a useful tool for any government!

[Merovingian]

Uh oh. I better shut down my companies MPLS networks right now.

"The bill regards as a crime the intention to withhold internet protocol (IP) addresses"

that would mean that using proxies to access banned sites is now illegal.

[tropo]

"The bill regards as a crime the intention to withhold internet protocol (IP) addresses"

that would mean that using proxies to access banned sites is now illegal.

I think making proxy use illegal is one of the main purposes of this bill.

You may have noticed that many proxy server sites are banned and even sites discussing proxy use.

[Steely Dan]

The problem i see with the law that they intend to pass, is that it will be vague, and open to interpretation by the enforcing body.

Therefore, it will be open to abuse.

It is similar to the situation we currently have with the Visa laws. Their interpretation is up the immigration officer.

To make it illegal anywhere in the world to say nasty things about Thailand is a joke.

The fear that i have is that the level of censorship and blocking on web sites will escalate.

I quite agree, Lest anyone forget Youtube has been banned twice in Thailand, once for the Lese Majesty video and once for content featuring Thaksin broadcast from outside of Thailand. Whilst I have utmost repect for the undeniable achievements and length of tenure of the King I'm worried about the powers and vested interests who legislate ostensibly to protect the King whilst tacking on elements of their own agendas to march in the same parade.

P.S Is the wizard of Oz banned yet?

[MrSnrang]

This is all starting to sound like the 'War on pornography' episode of the Flying Circus...

[rainman]

I don't know where to start with my comments on this issue, its just too funny.

1. When I access the internet with WAP through AIS, I am automatically connected to a proxy server at the AIS ip pool which then requests the contents from the server I'm connecting to and then displays them to me. That in itself is hiding the IP address from the server that the WAP is connecting to, therefor violating the new law. When are they going to start jailing AIS owners/employees?

2. How is outlawing proxies going to stop a rape, as they mentioned in the article at Bangkok Post? I've never heard anyone being raped through a proxy server. Unless you want to count in cyber sex.

3. The public proxy servers are useless anyways, as anyone who has used/tried to use them may have noticed. They're usually dead slow or die within a few hours. So most people using proxy servers have set them up themselves. Now I know nothing about Windows proxy servers, but the people capable of setting up and configuring Linux/Unix based proxy servers are most likely going to have enough knowledge to prevent the thai government from finding out anyways ....so what's the point?

I guess after they successfully got rid of child exploitation, prostitution and slavery, they now have enough resources to get rid of the internet as well.

[lecter]

unenforceable rubbish.

you could bounce it through 20 proxies and it'd take Steve Hawking gazing at the stars to figure out you're pulling down a "illegal" website.

I couldn't be bothered, frankly, but when they blocked spew-tube, it was a three minute or less job to get it up and running in a browser.

Lec

<snip>

[tropo]

I guess typing in an IP number is now illegal?

They will probably consider you've broken the law when you've been shown to have successfully accessed the banned site...the way you achieved that would be irrelevent.