I'm Receiving Free Wireless Internet

[ubonjoe]

Is it illegal? If you post the law that says it is illegal in Thailand I will close this topic.

It may unscrupulous of somebody to take advantage of somebody not protecting their network.

There are lots of places that have free wifi service.

[borovik]

I don't understand why TV allows to talk about something illegal.

Do you want internet connection? you have to pay it. Connecting in somebody else wifi is illegal, unfair and keeniao

Segnor!You do not grasp the problem.I can buy wifi card from hotel reception - 30US/day,I can buy from local telco - 1US$/day

or go to McDonald where wifi is free.To make it free - I have to go to McDonald(is it legal in Italy?its legal everywhere else)

to use 1$ card I have to hang antena from the balcony,where signal is strong,or I can sit in bathroom with laptop on my lap,as its name

sugests and pay 30$.What would you do legally?I prefer to pay 1$,what about you? you pay 30$?up to you!,as they say in LOS!

have a nice day!

[syd barrett]

I don't understand why TV allows to talk about something illegal.

Actually I did not know it was illegal in Thailand. In fact when my laptop computer searches for wireless links it lists about 5-10 depending on my exact location. Some are secured networkd, some are unsecured. Some require a logon page, some request a scratch-card or a password.

It is not impossible that the network is free for all to use. How do I know any different? It could just be free radio wireless internet from a local store, or go-go, or bar?

[MKAsok]

Is it illegal? If you post the law that says it is illegal in Thailand I will close this topic.

I doubt it's illegal to connect to the router if it's open. The illegal part, if any, would probably be accessing or attempting to access other machines on the LAN without some kind of explicit authorisation. I guess actually using someone else's bandwidth to send and receive to the internet without permission could be construed as theft, but I'd be surprised if there was a law in place here that covers that. It depends where the onus lies in terms of securing the network. Can any experts on Thai law give a definitive answer?

[ballbreaker]

You can read unofficial translation of Computer Crime Act and determine for yourself. Section 10 might be reason making it illegal.

http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/117

Edited May 21, 2009 by ballbreaker

[Crushdepth]

I think Section 5 is the most relevant:

Section 5. Any person illegally accessing a computer system for which a specific access prevention measure that is not intended for their own use is available shall be subject to imprisonment for no longer than six months or a fine of not more than ten thousand baht or both.

The way this reads is that if you circumvent *any* security measure aimed at keeping you out of the network then its a criminal offence. But it implies (although it doesn't state) that making use of a totally open, unsecured network to access the internet would not be illegal (so long as you didn't do the other bad things covered in other sections).

[Johnxxx]

I think Section 5 is the most relevant:

Section 5. Any person illegally accessing a computer system for which a specific access prevention measure that is not intended for their own use is available shall be subject to imprisonment for no longer than six months or a fine of not more than ten thousand baht or both.

The way this reads is that if you circumvent *any* security measure aimed at keeping you out of the network then its a criminal offence. But it implies (although it doesn't state) that making use of a totally open, unsecured network to access the internet would not be illegal (so long as you didn't do the other bad things covered in other sections).

I am sure it is not legal. But how could they find you? I even could change my MAC with software. With the freeware at http://www.technitium.com/ for instance. So how big is the risk?

[MKAsok]

I think Section 5 is the most relevant:

Section 5. Any person illegally accessing a computer system for which a specific access prevention measure that is not intended for their own use is available shall be subject to imprisonment for no longer than six months or a fine of not more than ten thousand baht or both.

The way this reads is that if you circumvent *any* security measure aimed at keeping you out of the network then its a criminal offence. But it implies (although it doesn't state) that making use of a totally open, unsecured network to access the internet would not be illegal (so long as you didn't do the other bad things covered in other sections).

I'd agree with you. The mention of a 'specific access prevention measure' makes it clear the onus is on whoever is in control of the network (or 'computer system') to take measures, no matter how ineffective they might be, in order to be offered protection under the Act. The Act is also either badly drafted or maybe just translated. It should read something like:

A person shall be deemed to have illegally accessed a computer system if they access such a system that is not intended for their own use as indicated by the existence of a specific access prevention measure.

[tlock]

lol I love how every discussion on TV turns into ethics/morality debate. it's like an obsession. is it stealing to use the unsecured connection at McDonald's? What if you don't buy a Big Mac? Does it specifically say you have to purchase something to use the free wi-fi? What if my hotel is near enough McDonald's to use the free connection from my hotel, can I use it then? Does it change things if I bought a Big Mac earlier in the day? The previous day? At what point does the Big Mac I purchased lose it's intrinsic free wi-finess and I become unethical/illegal/evil? And how many hail mary's should I say?

thanks in advance

[Carib]

lol I love how every discussion on TV turns into ethics/morality debate. it's like an obsession. is it stealing to use the unsecured connection at McDonald's? What if you don't buy a Big Mac? Does it specifically say you have to purchase something to use the free wi-fi? What if my hotel is near enough McDonald's to use the free connection from my hotel, can I use it then? Does it change things if I bought a Big Mac earlier in the day? The previous day? At what point does the Big Mac I purchased lose it's intrinsic free wi-finess and I become unethical/illegal/evil? And how many hail mary's should I say?

thanks in advance

Naaah, it works different with the mac Donald's signal, if you are fat it is ok to use it, that is the rule. MacDonald just uses the "free" signal as an extra addictive thingy..