My Right To Close Anti-Yingluck Websites, Minister Claims

[Thai at Heart]

Anudith was criticised for overstepping his authority by threatening to shut down pages that carried allegedly defamatory remarks against PM Yingluck Shinawatra

Looks like the ICT Minister will have to close the PM's Office Minister's website :

May 8, 2013 12:42 pm

The web site of PM's Office was defaced Wednesday with an impolite sentence apparently aimed at ridiculing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

At 12:30 pm about less than an hour after it was spotted, the defacing has not been addressed yet.

The sentence appeared at a menu item on the top left corner of the web page below the menu for showing the list of the Yingluck Cabinet.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/PMs-Office-website-defaced-30205666.html

Looks like the ICT Minister has followed through and shut down the PM Office Minister's website as it seems inaccessible

http://www.opm.go.th/

Well done, Anudith.

Is the webmaster responsible for having put this message up and leaving it in the public domain?

[kimamey]

Of course Thailand has achieved full democracy and if Yingcluck doesn't stop saying it hasn't, then the military will step in and stop her!

Now I am in a dilemma. I don't believe in coups yet I feel just as strongly in my belief that countries should not be run by air heads.

'countries should not be run by air heads.'

I believe there are people in the UK thinking what you're thinking right now.

[Thai at Heart]

Of course Thailand has achieved full democracy and if Yingcluck doesn't stop saying it hasn't, then the military will step in and stop her!

Now I am in a dilemma. I don't believe in coups yet I feel just as strongly in my belief that countries should not be run by air heads.

'countries should not be run by air heads.'

I believe there are people in the UK thinking what you're thinking right now.

Problem is no one here seems to see being in political power as a serious issue. It is just a mere interlude for personal enrichment between coups.

[NCFC]

A couple of days ago the minister was talking about protecting Everybody but now it's Yingluck, Yingluck and Yingluck which we all knew anyway. The ministry cannot shutdown a site without a court order but can suspend a site but for how long without having to apply to a court, it would be easy to suspend then take a long time or accidentally forget to go anywhere near a court so the result is almost the same. Finally I'm sure his definition of defamation will be very loose and bear no relation to the legal one allowing him, surprise surprise, to do whatever he wants.

Would be interesting when this law to suspend a website was put on the books. All rather Orwellian.

Computer Crimes Act 2007, PM Surayud (appointed by the leaders of the military coup)

It was done before that by then-PM Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637978-my-right-to-close-anti-yingluck-websites-minister-claims/page-2#entry6380879

Thaksin was not PM in 2007, he had already been overthrown by a coup in 2006.

[NCFC]

Yingluck said yesterday that the MICT should not focus only on defending her from being defamed in cyberspace

Don't worry, Yingluck, television and radio are also ready for scrutinizing, by a different governmental entity, for any mean comments against you.

Yingluck Sues Thai Rath Cartoonist For Defamation

Meanwhile the media stranglehold gets tighter as the BP is reporting this morning that the Pheu Thai Party is requesting the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to closely scrutinize the content of all television and radio programs for inappropriate remarks about the premier.

Internet, television, radio = Check

Personal telephone conversations are next.

Could it be worse than the UK?

Section 5 of the Public Order Act makes it a criminal offence to use "insulting words and behaviour".

[Thai at Heart]

Looks like the ICT Minister will have to close the PM's Office Minister's website :

May 8, 2013 12:42 pm

The web site of PM's Office was defaced Wednesday with an impolite sentence apparently aimed at ridiculing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

At 12:30 pm about less than an hour after it was spotted, the defacing has not been addressed yet.

The sentence appeared at a menu item on the top left corner of the web page below the menu for showing the list of the Yingluck Cabinet.http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/PMs-Office-website-defaced-30205666.html

Just saw a screen capture of the offending sentence in the pull down menu of the PM Office Ministry's website on the Daily News website, but not sure what it says about the PM is repeatable here.

It's in English, btw.

The words are in the English language and the full page is on all the thai news sites.

The "I know I am the worst Prime Minister ever inThailand history" are fair enough for a hackers attack, but the "I am a slutty moron" is beyond fair play. I hope the authorities catch up with the hackers and deal to them accordingly.

Well, I am going to try to track it down to have a look, but in doing so, would I be in breach of the law? Would anyone distribuiting it be in breach of the law?

So now, one can see how stupid an idea it can be to try to regulate who sends what where, via the internet. Viva freedom of expression I say.

[Goat Roper]

Yingluck said yesterday that the MICT should not focus only on defending her from being defamed in cyberspace

Don't worry, Yingluck, television and radio are also ready for scrutinizing, by a different governmental entity, for any mean comments against you.

Yingluck Sues Thai Rath Cartoonist For Defamation

Meanwhile the media stranglehold gets tighter as the BP is reporting this morning that the Pheu Thai Party is requesting the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to closely scrutinize the content of all television and radio programs for inappropriate remarks about the premier.

Internet, television, radio = Check

Personal telephone conversations are next.

Let me see.........Never been married but has children............

[p_brownstone]

Realistically the MICT can only "Close Down" a Site Hosted in Thailand.

For Sites Hosted overseas at best they can attempt to block access by Computers using Thai ISPs - but any reasonably knowledgeable 15 year old can easily bypass that restriction so the whole exercise is a complete waste of time.

I recall not so long ago we had a Minister in that Post who actually said he had "been on the Internet and found nothing of interest"! Clearly the new incumbent has equal ability and expertise.

Patrick

[brd199]

Would be interesting when this law to suspend a website was put on the books. All rather Orwellian.

Computer Crimes Act 2007, PM Surayud (appointed by the leaders of the military coup)

It was done before that by then-PM Thaksin:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637978-my-right-to-close-anti-yingluck-websites-minister-claims/page-2#entry6380879

Thaksin was not PM in 2007, he had already been overthrown by a coup in 2006.

He was closing hundreds of thousands of websites before the Computer Crimes Act of 2007.

He must have been doing so under a law that pre-dated that Act.

[TackyToo]

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry

Is that the one Orwell called “the Ministry of Truth” in 1984?

"The Ministry of Truth is involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts and educational books. Its purpose is to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for propaganda effect."

[TackyToo]

"My right to close anti-PM websites, minister claims"

Isn’t it good to learn that at least someone is granted the human right of free speech and opinion?

[brd199]

Well, I am going to try to track it down to have a look, but in doing so, would I be in breach of the law? Would anyone distribuiting it be in breach of the law?

So now, one can see how stupid an idea it can be to try to regulate who sends what where, via the internet. Viva freedom of expression I say.

An additional comment from the hackers was on the website said,

"I know that I am the worst Prime Minister ever in Thailand history!!!"

Seems the PM Office website was hacked by the group called, Unlimited Hack Team, who previously defaced Culture Minister's website.

Whatever they did, it can not be undone by ICT Ministry personnel and the PM Office website remains down while they struggle to fix it.

Edited May 8, 2013 by brd199

[Thait Spot]

Let's hope red shirt radio get's the same treatment

[Thai at Heart]

Well, I am going to try to track it down to have a look, but in doing so, would I be in breach of the law? Would anyone distribuiting it be in breach of the law?

So now, one can see how stupid an idea it can be to try to regulate who sends what where, via the internet. Viva freedom of expression I say.

An additional comment from the hackers was on the website said,

"I know that I am the worst Prime Minister ever in Thailand history!!!"

Seems the PM Office website was hacked by the group called, Unlimited Hack Team, who previously defaced Culture Minister's website.

Whatever they did, it can not be undone by ICT Ministry personnel and the PM Office website remains down while they struggle to fix it.

They have a very diplomatic explanation in the other paper of what was said. Their attempted link to the site doesn't work. At the end of the day, this type of thing is manna from heaven for hackers, lest we forget she claimed that her twitter account had been hacked. The way it works in Thailand, I would believe that the webmaster is responsible for making sure that his site stays clean, so I await, Yingluck charging someone with diseminating this message. I mean haven't they locked someone up for not removing messages from their site?

[brd199]

Well, I am going to try to track it down to have a look, but in doing so, would I be in breach of the law? Would anyone distribuiting it be in breach of the law?

So now, one can see how stupid an idea it can be to try to regulate who sends what where, via the internet. Viva freedom of expression I say.

An additional comment from the hackers was on the website said,

"I know that I am the worst Prime Minister ever in Thailand history!!!"

Seems the PM Office website was hacked by the group called, Unlimited Hack Team, who previously defaced Culture Minister's website.

Whatever they did, it can not be undone by ICT Ministry personnel and the PM Office website remains down while they struggle to fix it.

They have a very diplomatic explanation in the other paper of what was said. Their attempted link to the site doesn't work. At the end of the day, this type of thing is manna from heaven for hackers, lest we forget she claimed that her twitter account had been hacked. The way it works in Thailand, I would believe that the webmaster is responsible for making sure that his site stays clean, so I await, Yingluck charging someone with diseminating this message. I mean haven't they locked someone up for not removing messages from their site?

In the same logic that the DSI is charging Abhisit as being ultimately responsible for any acts by those under him, Yingluck is ultimately responsible for the contents of her Cabinet ministers' websites, so she should charge herself with defamation.

[jayboy]

In the UK there is opposition to the institution of monarchy ...

A tiny minority of cranks.Polls have shown that time and time again.

[chainarong]

You see what happens when you have a lese majeste law? Where does the censorship stop? It trickles down until anyone in power is protected from any criticism. It's a slippery slope.

I got into trouble mentioning that word .

[gemini81]

.....but of course its ok to slander non Shinawatras who are caught drunk driving by posting their images on facebook.

[Tatsujin]

And just how are they going to "shut down" a website that is hosted OUTSIDE Thailand . . . ? They can block it through the ISP's and IP addresses I would guess, but they cannot shut it down. What a bunch of morons running this country.

[Tatsujin]

You see what happens when you have a lese majeste law? Where does the censorship stop? It trickles down until anyone in power is protected from any criticism. It's a slippery slope.

I got into trouble mentioning that word .

Lese majeste? Censorship?

[MaxYakov]

You see what happens when you have a lese majeste law? Where does the censorship stop? It trickles down until anyone in power is protected from any criticism. It's a slippery slope.

It's only a slippery slope if you make it one. I for one appreciate the Thai respect for the monarchy and loathe to see Thailand sink into the daily trash that tabloids report in England for example on its monarchy. How you can make the logical connection between political commentary and lese majeste is beyond me. One is an institution by birthright and another a political office decided by popular vote.

There's a difference between earned respect and enforced respect.

In the UK there is opposition to the institution of monarchy although probably less against the current monarch as she does do a lot of work particularly considering her age and that of her husband. Even some who want an end to monarchy think she does a good job they just don't like the way she got the job. If the population want to become a republic that would happen but that doesn't appear to be the case at least not whilst it's in its current hands. The Thai government would do well to look at the way the UK monarch almost never resorts to legal action as they are fully aware that it's a PR disaster waiting to happen.

In Thailand you have forced respect with the LM laws. In my own view this is something of a lack of respect in itself as it suggests the monarchy needs to be protected from criticism. At the moment although it would seem there is wide support for the monarchy and in particular for the king there is no way to show this under the current laws. LM and similar laws in countries without a monarchy are typically used to stifle dissent against vain dictators who need to protect their ill gotten power and financial gains. This in my view makes this type of law completely unsuitable in regards to the Thai monarchy.

In spite of my dislike for most of the current Thai government I think the current attempts to stop views being expressed are ill conceived as they are at least democratically elected are in my view incompetent rather than evil

Is it respect that is (attempted to) being forced or is it fear?

Edited May 8, 2013 by MaxYakov

[gemini81]

And just how are they going to "shut down" a website that is hosted OUTSIDE Thailand . . . ? They can block it through the ISP's and IP addresses I would guess, but they cannot shut it down. What a bunch of morons running this country.

This current group truly must be the worst collection of morons in political power in the history of the world.

[RogueLeader]

In the UK there is opposition to the institution of monarchy ...

A tiny minority of cranks.Polls have shown that time and time again.

It's far away from a tiny minority. Recent meddling in constitutional affairs and a £5 million pay rise have seen to that.

[whybother]

Thanks to Anupong and his gang and after that Abhisit and his mafia any idiot in a position of power now thinks that it is fine to interfere. Let them close down all the sites that are not nice for government or Royalists, the army or for Prem. For every closed site ten new ones spring up hosted abroad. The ICT minister never paid attention in school, never read the animal farm or 1984 and he certainly doe not know about Sphinxes.

... and there are a lot of idiots in positions of power now, aren't there?

[khunken]

This is another minister in the same category as Chalerm, Plodprasop, & the defence minister whose name I can't spell properly.

No brains, under Mr T's control and petty dictators. They do their best to ensure Yingluck's 'no democracy since the coup' continues to be true. Not that there was any before the coup either.

[Thai at Heart]

In the UK there is opposition to the institution of monarchy ...

A tiny minority of cranks.Polls have shown that time and time again.

It's far away from a tiny minority. Recent meddling in constitutional affairs and a £5 million pay rise have seen to that.

One can argue about the size of the tiny minority but many of these are cranks with ludicrous bees in their bonnets (eg accusing the monarchy of meddling in constitutional affairs).

Polly Toynbee, a very prominent left winger and republican, recently acknowledged the vast majority approved of the monarchy.More important battles to fight elsewhere she admitted.

And more power to the cranks. Part of the strength of the British system is the ability to criticise and discuss. Elisabeth has been a great servant. One can only hope her son gets remotely close.

[BuddyPinkham]

Defamation is used way too widely and easily in this country! If they don't like what someone has said, SUE THEM! Yeah, that's the way to settle disagreements!

[waza]

Defamation is used way too widely and easily in this country! If they don't like what someone has said, SUE THEM! Yeah, that's the way to settle disagreements!

its the way to censor public and private opinion that doesn't gel with Thaksins agenda