Freedom of expression: Thai Police seek to check LINE posts

[EvilDrSomkid]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

Wait, let me see if I got this right.

K'Pisit is acting like a petulant child because he cannot intimidate a foreign (shock horror!) entity into submission to violate his own citizen's rights.

A foreign company is facilitating Thai citizen to have conversations critical of the current "government". Can't have that, can we?

Let's turn this around shall we? Whenever a foreign entity/person (irrelevant in Thailand) requests Thai authorities to investigate a crime again a foreigner in Thailand there is radio silence. No, is suicide, no evidence, cannot find perp, jewels disappear etc.

"They have taken a lot from Thailand?" Right, they have provided the country with thousands of jobs and provided high quality goods (trucks, cars, electronics etc).

[tominbkk]

With PTP in power and especially if Thaksin gets back you can expect more of this type of policy, times ten!

I seem to recall he clamped down on facebook the last time he was in power, or maybe not as it was rather difficult to get any form of decent internet then

Yeah he blocked Facebook and twitter as well did not work.

[anon210]

The argument is pretty childish by this official... as it takes place overseas, he is not violating the rights of citizens?!

Only a Thai can think of such an argument, that is for sure.

[Chao Lao Beach]

What exactly is LINE ?

Is it public comments or 1 on 1 chat like Skype ?

[jbrain]

Any one still believe Thailand isn't hosting any NSA servers centers ?

[Regyai]

When I woke up this morning in the Land of Smiles

Little did I realise that I'd been abducted by aliens and teleported to a parallel dimension, apparently located somewhere in the darkest days of communist China

.

[IsaanUSA]

Quick LINE question. Is it possible for my friends to see my list of friends?

[Considered Opinion]

I know you guys will excuse the wry humour inherent in this report, though I'm almost certain neither the reporters nor the person they were reporting will see the humour in it and that's just the nature of the beast.

I am hard pressed to think of one single situation where any social media organisation would ask any "authority" in Thailand or in any other semi literate country for assistance in any matter. Likewise, I am baffled as to the meaning of "we have the authority to investigate peoples use of social media", outside of the NSA and their destruction of the world's trust of America.

To even suggest that people like this are competent to even think about investigating such things puts one in a situation where one has to ask oneself that even if the social media providers gave them the data, who do they think within the entire country, would be capable of its interpretation?

Social media is not really about freedom of expression, so much as international community development, and whilst views can be expressed on social media which may run contra to the view taken by the government of the day, if Thailand wishes to be seen as part of the worldwide community in the digital age, they have to manage what people like this are allowed to say in public, in the interests of saving the country's face from the ridicule that what this man has said should be bringing down on their heads, but won't, simply because nobody else in the world cares.

One trusts that eventually somebody will take this chap aside and tell him to be quiet to save embarrassment.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Considered Opinion

[monkeycountry]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

Exactly what is it they have gotten or taken from Thailand?

Why should social media help Thai law enforcement ban or prosecute critics and opponents of the PTP, which is of course the real goal here?

[deecee10]

"We are not violating anybody's rights, as the checking is being done overseas. So you can't really attack me for this," he said.

Dubai?

[bigbamboo]

Maybe the people from these social media sites read his extraordinary interview yesterday and quite rightly decided this individual was best left to his own devices.

[Suradit69]

Oh dear of dear.

It gets worse minute by minute. So a copper interprets a law a certain way. Is there not anyone who can tell him he is intruding on peoples rights?

It appears people are as he seems to have an answer! If this really kicks off Thailand can say goodbye to tourism all together! People doing border runs to Burma will just keep going in that direction! Haven't been to Cambodia myself so that would be my first port of call I think!

I could handle the nonsense before but it's getting ridiculous now!

Sent from my LT26i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

"If this really kicks off Thailand can say goodbye to tourism all together!"

Oh dear, we haven't had an "another nail in the coffin" post for awhile.

No one will ever come to Thailand again if ( fill in the blank ). And yet the traffic and crowds increase year after year.

If you can't "handle" it then bye-bye. I don't think you need to worry about a massive over-booking of flights out.

But don't head to the US:

NBC News has learned that under the post-9/11 Patriot Act, the government has been collecting records on every phone call made in the U.S.

or the UK

LONDON July 30, 2013 (AP)

London's police force is explicitly confirming that it is investigating companies and individuals beyond the media industry as part of Britain's wide-ranging phone hacking probe.

Police have occasionally noted that some of the more than 125 people detained as part of their investigations into eavesdropping, hacking, and police bribery have nothing to do with the media world.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Suradit69

[AleG]

With PTP in power and especially if Thaksin gets back you can expect more of this type of policy, times ten!

I seem to recall he clamped down on facebook the last time he was in power, or maybe not as it was rather difficult to get any form of decent internet then

Yeah he blocked Facebook and twitter as well did not work.

Whoever told you that was lying to you, you should wonder why they did that.

[berg1666]

Oh dear of dear.

It gets worse minute by minute. So a copper interprets a law a certain way. Is there not anyone who can tell him he is intruding on peoples rights?

It appears people are as he seems to have an answer! If this really kicks off Thailand can say goodbye to tourism all together! People doing border runs to Burma will just keep going in that direction! Haven't been to Cambodia myself so that would be my first port of call I think!

I could handle the nonsense before but it's getting ridiculous now!

Sent from my LT26i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Germany, UK, USA, Russia, China are doing the same spying a long time, so tourists will feel themself like at home...

Are those countries also locking people up for 15+ years for sending SMS messages or not removing posts from web forums quick enough?

Nah they are locking them up forever without ever being told of any charges whatsover, just sinking slowly into the mire of Guantanamo bay

[FarangTalk]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

Exactly what is it they have gotten or taken from Thailand?

Why should social media help Thai law enforcement ban or prosecute critics and opponents of the PTP, which is of course the real goal here?

It's actually to stop discussion over another major issue. The convenient ability to silence critics of the government is an added bonus.

[Thai at Heart]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

So he is now threatening the operators of social media sites.

What does he think he is to make threats against site operators in other parts of the world?

How long will it take him to get around to this site?

Probably not long until it reaches here.

What are you talking about? No access required. It is all public domain. You only sign in to post and it is doubtful that is their intent. Just Google your handle + Thai Visa and see what you get.

Won't be long until the moderators have to start pulling messages off here.

[FarangTalk]

On a similar topic which shows other countries have woken up to Thailand's heavy media censorship.

"Censorship level: Thailand" is no joke! Check out just how tough the country's censorship is.

For years now, anime viewers in Thailand have been dealing with ironclad regulations for broadcast dubs—something that fans outside the country have also noticed.

http://kotaku.com/thailands-anime-censorship-sure-is-strict-1106256597

And the latest piece from Pavin on New Mandala highlighting the focus on Thai agencies monitoring criticism from overseas, awaiting their arrival in Thailand then imminent arrest. Just because you are not in Thailand making comments doesn't mean it may not affect you if you choose to visit Thailand in the future. Joe Gordon spings to mind. Article mentions blacklists of foreigners and eagerness to prosecute foreign critics. Worrying times indeed.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/13/defending-the-monarchy/

Edited August 13, 2013 by FarangTalk

[monkeycountry]

If he really thinks social media takes alot from Thailand and gives nothing back, then just block it. Start by blocking facebook, twitter and instagram.

After about an hour we will see who needs who more? Facebook's management probably won't care much, but I am guessing that there will be riots on the streets of Bangkok, not against facebook, but against whoever blocked it :-)

[belg]

the land of free... euh... anybody compile a list of what is still free here, except spending ur money?

[gemini81]

Don't tell me TV is next in line.

[monkeycountry]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

Exactly what is it they have gotten or taken from Thailand?

Why should social media help Thai law enforcement ban or prosecute critics and opponents of the PTP, which is of course the real goal here?

It's actually to stop discussion over another major issue. The convenient ability to silence critics of the government is an added bonus.

Assuming we are talking about the same major issue, I think it is the other way around. I am just guessing though :-)

[anon467367354]

is it me or does the government seem scared?

[Oww]

Naver Japan should just disable all downloads of Line from Thailand. Think they really need the headaches from these pointy heads.

[steffi]

Normally the academics from Chulalongkorn speak out about this sort of thing. Has anybody heard from them?

[richard10365]

Technically, if you want to complain about this, it should have been done in 2007. Article 36 of the current Thai constitution gives the police the right to do this. This same privilege of the police was Section 37 of the 1997 constitution.

Article 36 (2007)

A person shall enjoy the liberty of communication by lawful means.The censorship, detention or disclosure of communication between persons including any other act disclosing a statement in the communication between persons shall not be made except by virtue of the provisions of the law specifically enacted for security of the State or maintaining public order or good morals.

Section 37 (1997)

A person shall enjoy the liberty of communication by lawful means. The censorship, detention or disclosure of communication between persons including any other act disclosing a statement in the communication between persons shall not be made except by virtue of the provisions of the law specifically enacted for security of the State or maintaining public order or good morals.

[razer]

Where are they getting all this sophisticated snooping technology and know-how? Not much guesswork required to figure it out.

[spermwhale]

""We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned."

I bet they don't want to cooperate, they can recognise a totalitarian thought police thug when they see one. This man is dangerous and full of BS, no wonder PT chose him to censor people's thinking. The only saving grace is that he does appear to be quite thick judging by his statements, could just be his cover though. Very good actor if it is.

They have taken a lot from Thailand????

I know we can't buy land, but what a ridiculous xenophobic comment....

EXACTLY. What have the foreign operators every wanted from Thailand? NOTHING. He won't let them go if they make mistakes? Is he going to arrest the heads of Line and Facebook? THIS COUNTRY IS A BIG FAT JOKE!

[Johnnie99]

It's quite alright people, because as he says, the actual snooping is done overseas. He is definitely not to blame.

[RRay]

"We have been talking to them [the operators of social media] a lot, but they do not want to cooperate. When they want anything, they expect to get it, but when we ask them for something, they rarely help us. They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. I won't let them go if they make any mistakes," he warned.

So he is now threatening the operators of social media sites.

What does he think he is to make threats against site operators in other parts of the world?

How long will it take him to get around to this site?

Does the term talking to THEM refer to Japan itself or the company, and but THEY do not refer to Japan or the company, I feel offended if it is pin pointing the country itself. And WTH> When they want anything, they expect to get it. Isn't this one of the most common attributes of Thailand? They have taken a lot from Thailand but refused to cooperate with Thailand. cooperate illegally going through what, some 200m chat? lol this guy can KMA

[MaxLee]

Dear Teenagers of Thailand, get ready for jail, because your private chit chats about anything can be viewed as "political inappropriate !!!!