Minister signals a move to resurrect a national internet gateway and stronger online controls

[webfact]

Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn, last Friday, speaking in the House of Representatives, resurrected a plan pushed by the military junta up to 2015 to put in place a national internet gateway to control access to the internet in Thailand. The minister cited rising criminal complaints as the basis for the move but there are fears that the proposal could, in conjunction with a suggested review of the Computer Crime Act, give the government the tool kit it has long sought to exercise more efficient control over public commentary and online debate. There are, in addition, strong concerns about the negative commercial and practical business ramifications of such a move.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

 

The move is coming at a time when support for the government has hit a low ebb with a poll published last weekend showing that 77% have lost confidence in the coalition administration of Prayut Chan ocha and an increasingly fractious political environment with a General Election seen now as more likely in 2022.

 

Last Friday, the Thai Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn appeared to resurrect plans first mooted by the military junta up to 2015, to install a national internet gateway in Thailand to control and restrict access to external online content as an issue of national security. The minister cited a rise in criminal complaints concerning illegal online scams and gangs operating from outside the kingdom from bases in Cambodia as reasons for the move which would be similar to a proposal also being pursued by Cambodian authorities and interpreted by many analysts as introducing a Chinese approach to internet control, policing and regulation.

 

On Friday last, speaking in the House of Representatives, the country’s Digital Economy and Society Minister, Mr Chaiwut, again raised the possibility that Thai authorities may pursue a single gateway for internet access to websites and traffic outside of Thailand.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/02/22/minister-resurrects-internet-gateway-scheme/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-02-22

 

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[Bkk Brian]

The generals are in fight mode and pulling out all the stops to curb free speech and access to every persons right to information available. This is not looking good. Amnesty International, Thailand, also getting kicked out last I heard.

[Thaiwrath]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

a poll published last weekend showing that 77% have lost confidence in the coalition administration of Prayut Chan ocha

Another poll with fictitious numbers, I would imagine it is nearer 97% nowadays !

[JonnyF]

The Great Firewall of Thailand.

 

Wonder where they got that idea?

[mtls2005]

Yeah this concept won't poll well.

 

Even in a "SuperPoll" this idea would get less than a 25% potivie.

 

Government Super Polls often yield ridiculously high high results: "112% of the people love Prayut."

 

The PtB fear outside influences (black hand, NGOs, thaksin).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sammieuk1]

What an ungrateful lot after the PM has worked tirelessly to make Thailand what it is today ????

[MSMU1993]

Narrator: He would not be in office long enought to advance the idea.....

[soi3eddie]

33 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

The Great Firewall of Thailand.

 

Wonder where they got that idea?

...and likely bought the technology from a friendly communist partner.

 

[Hayduke]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Last Friday, the Thai Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn appeared to resurrect plans first mooted by the military junta up to 2015, to install a national internet gateway in Thailand to control and restrict access to external online content as an issue of national security.

 

Since the Thai government can't even reliably mange an online 90 day report....this is something they’d clearly need to outsource.

 

Wonder where they might be able to find a monolithic, aggressive, immoral, unethical, repressive, totalitarian police state to help out….

 

...…in the interest of national harmony, eternal friendship and everlasting world peace, of course.

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Hayduke

[Gottfrid]

Welcome to China.

[smedly]

50 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

The generals are in fight mode and pulling out all the stops to curb free speech and access to every persons right to information available. This is not looking good. Amnesty International, Thailand, also getting kicked out last I heard.

This is what happens when you have uneducated people running the country, they will cover their failures with draconian rules and restrictions because that is all they are capable of, this is rather concerning but equally no surprise - want to know what "New Normal" means - it has little to do with covid - it is all to do with power and control and holding on to power as their pockets and ego's fill up 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The minister cited rising criminal complaints as the basis for the move but

we all know that is not the reason the govt wishes to implement such a firewall. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Bluespunk
Clarification

[RandiRona]

Sponsored through Belt , Road and Firewall!!

[JonnyF]

26 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

...and likely bought the technology from a friendly communist partner.

 

Seeing as they can't even make a 90 day reporting app work, I'd say that was inevitable.

 

Plus with a project that size with the CCP as the supplier, the possibility for kickbacks would be huge.

[Thailand]

And the false assumtion that an election would actually change anything. It would simply consolidate the military's powers,no chance of free and fair coming in to this equation.

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

The Great Firewall of Thailand.

 

Wonder where they got that idea?

The same place that they increasingly seem to copy in every respect and kiss up to -- their bosom buddy China?

[baboon]

1 hour ago, Hayduke said:

 

Since the Thai government can't even reliably mange an online 90 day report....this is something they’d clearly need to outsource.

 

Wonder where they might be able to find a monolithic, aggressive, immoral, unethical, repressive, totalitarian police state to help out….

 

...…in the interest of national harmony, eternal friendship and everlasting world peace, of course.

 

 

Boris Johnson's Britain? 

[kotsak]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The minister cited rising criminal complaints as the basis for the move

Simply Βollocks.. We all know very well what is that about..

Edited February 22, 2022 by kotsak

[clivebaxter]

Next will be facial recognition and social credit scores to keep the peasants obedient ????

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and an increasingly fractious political environment with a General Election seen now as more likely in 2022.

Probably why they are deliberately making covid more of a danger than it really is to postpone one

Edited February 22, 2022 by RichardColeman

[soi3eddie]

6 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Next will be facial recognition and social credit scores to keep the peasants obedient ????

Facial recognition is already being used. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30373672

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by soi3eddie

[night_rider]

Say goodbye to the digital nomads. 

[tgw]

1 minute ago, night_rider said:

Say goodbye to the digital nomads. 

it won't affect them.

[night_rider]

2 minutes ago, tgw said:

it won't affect them.

I don't know. Sure you can use public or private VPN but would you want your business subject to the governments competence with firewall rules? I wouldn't. And if there are comparable places like Bali to work, it may just tip the scale.

[tgw]

12 minutes ago, night_rider said:

I don't know. Sure you can use public or private VPN but would you want your business subject to the governments competence with firewall rules? I wouldn't. And if there are comparable places like Bali to work, it may just tip the scale.

not sure how much you know about internet, but if the government was to block/filter port 443 or 587, the whole country's internet-based business would grind to a halt. government administrations, hospitals, banks, everything.

 

a government firewall would just inconvenience people who aren't skilled in using the internet. cybercriminals and people involved in subversive internet-based political activity already know how to remain private, even under government scrutiny.

 

so this "firewall" will just cost money with very little effect.

maybe they will catch a bunch of incautious people in the first months, and that will be it.

Edited February 22, 2022 by tgw

[AhFarangJa]

Maybe time is here to stop posting on these forums..............

[Pedrogaz]

Will you be able to get around the firewall with a VPN? 

[billsmart]

When referring to the global, public internet, the word should be capitalized, like this: Internet.

[peter zwart]

No more PoliPorn?????

[Guderian]

I wonder when the PM is going to start calling himself Chairman Prayut, lol?