Thailand's NBTC to meet Facebook for cooperation

[Xircal]

"focus on how to identify Facebook users who post messages defaming the Monarch"

This is a filmsy excuse to go after anyone who posts anything perceived as critical of the Junta and/or creates a mood of political conflict. Both Facebook and Google have dealt with similar efforts of censorship with Thailand's new role model China where the internet market is six times Thailand's market. I don't think Facebook will cooperate to the level NBTC requires. Thailand's internet censorship is one element that will leave it behind in the ASEAN Community digital enterprise.

Whilst I agree with you wholeheartedly, I don't think the junta will just sit back and sulk when FB refuses to cooperate.

What's likely to happen is that users will find the site has been blocked pending FB's change of heart as happened when the coup was announced back in May: http://www.smh.com.au/world/facebook-blocked-in-thailand-to-prevent-antiarmy-protests-20140528-zrr9i.html

It'll subsequently depend on who relents first and it's more likely to be FB given the amount of revenue advertising generates in Thailand.

[Thai at Heart]

I think it is unfair for a company like FaceBook to post notices that are "in the face" of a country.

Obviously there is a debate about these laws but really FaceBook operates within this country with the grace of the Government and its Head of State.

Freedom of press is the challenge I suppose but really Thailand has a different set of values many of which are extremely good.

I think FaceBook should backdown if they continue to wish to operate with the grace of this country's Government and Head of State.

Facebook doesn't write anything.

This would be like prosecuting the post office for transporting something u don't like written.

Lese majeste is a counter productive pursuit. It weakens the very institution it claims to protect.

[berybert]

Not sure if I am right or not, but Thailand seems to be a country that is corrupt from top to bottom. And LM is an excuse to do away with certain people while allowing other people to do the same thing ?

Am I right or wrong ?

[cookee68]

They will have as much chance as a snowball in hell, unless they want to ban Facebook in Thailand. They are just making themselves look like idiots, which is not that hard to do. It is only illegal in Thailand to talk about royalty, outside of that it is free speech what you think and feel, Waste of time

[NCC1701A]

restore happiness by blocking facebook?

[cdk]

Not sure if I am right or not, but Thailand seems to be a country that is corrupt from top to bottom. And LM is an excuse to do away with certain people while allowing other people to do the same thing ?

Am I right or wrong ?

Wrong.

[cdk]

"focus on how to identify Facebook users who post messages defaming the Monarch"

This is a filmsy excuse to go after anyone who posts anything perceived as critical of the Junta and/or creates a mood of political conflict.

The illegality of "defaming the Monarch" predates the junta by decades.

[jayboy]

My latest information is that Facebook has advised NBTC that it is not available for a meetin g to discuss this matter.I will supply a link when available.

Still it's a welcome New Year's piece of news that Facebook seems to have told these creeps where to get off.

[jpeg]

Maybe this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back and things will finally change.

Maybe. But I believe the sagging economy will trurn total moribund under these dinosaurs and that will ultimately be their downfall.After all's said and done, money trumps nationalism. Particularly here, quite possibly up there with the most nationalistic money oriented countries on the planet.

Edited January 1, 2015 by jpeg

[baboon]

I think it is unfair for a company like FaceBook to post notices that are "in the face" of a country.

Obviously there is a debate about these laws but really FaceBook operates within this country with the grace of the Government and its Head of State.

Freedom of press is the challenge I suppose but really Thailand has a different set of values many of which are extremely good.

I think FaceBook should backdown if they continue to wish to operate with the grace of this country's Government and Head of State.

Brown nose post of the year and it's the first of January...

[jayboy]

"focus on how to identify Facebook users who post messages defaming the Monarch"

This is a filmsy excuse to go after anyone who posts anything perceived as critical of the Junta and/or creates a mood of political conflict. Both Facebook and Google have dealt with similar efforts of censorship with Thailand's new role model China where the internet market is six times Thailand's market. I don't think Facebook will cooperate to the level NBTC requires. Thailand's internet censorship is one element that will leave it behind in the ASEAN Community digital enterprise.

Whilst I agree with you wholeheartedly, I don't think the junta will just sit back and sulk when FB refuses to cooperate.

What's likely to happen is that users will find the site has been blocked pending FB's change of heart as happened when the coup was announced back in May: http://www.smh.com.au/world/facebook-blocked-in-thailand-to-prevent-antiarmy-protests-20140528-zrr9i.html

It'll subsequently depend on who relents first and it's more likely to be FB given the amount of revenue advertising generates in Thailand.

Doubt it.The Sino Thai urban class which forms a key part of the government's support is dependent on FB.

[EyesWideOpen]

Funny stuff. After Facebook leadership gets up after falling on the ground laughing at

this absurd attempt to muzzle them, the junta had better hope Facebook does not get

pissed off at Thailand and stop Facebook in Thailand. Then there would be another

revolution....Does the junta have any idea how absurd these LM laws sound to

countries with freedom of speech ? Apparently not, or they would not be making fools

of themselves by trying to rein in Facebook..

[jpeg]

What I find hilarious is that if you need to find any government department/police station and who are the Officials here (they're ALL listed, photos and all), FB is the ONLY place to go

[willyumiii]

"He added that Facebook Thailand representatives would be requested to consult their parent company in California about a possibility to trace the senders."

End of FB in Thailand if they do.

LM today, tomorrow who knows what?

Thailand could not survive without Face Book.

Where else would everyone post photos of themselves ( Selfies ) three times a day to show how much they have not changed?

How could anyone communicate with other people when in a room with 100 others if not by chatting with someone somewhere else on Face Book chat?

Where could you show photos of every meal you eat?

Seriously...

I see very little, if any anti government posts on Face Book ever.

Is anyone in Thailand foolish enough to post anything anti Thai government on Face book, or TV, or any other site?

This is not USA, freedom of speech is not a right.

But freedom you use common sense and be careful of what you post is still available.

Use it!

[Beetlejuice]

I wish the NTBC luck, they are going to need it.

Facebook is a law unto it`s self. They bypass the privacy and data protection laws. they determine what is acceptable and what isn`t and are virtually answerable to no one.

Why the NTBC will fail in it`s quest to have facebook ban anti Thai propaganda from it`s social network is because then it would mean facebook would have to implement banning all it`s users pages that have political agendas and that maybe bad for business for facebook, it would lose a substantial amount of it`s subscribers and groups including advertisers and so on.

Then off course there is Utube, Google groups, various forums, blogs and many more to contend with, the list is endless. In fact for the NTBC and those representing any governments, this is an impossible task.

[MaxLee]

if thailand blocks facebook

what will all those poor souls do with taking selfies, pictures of their breakfast, lunch, dinner, what they dropped in the toilet ????

what will happen to those people with thousands of friends, oh my god, the end of the world

for them ...

i will smile

It will mean we'll have an enormous mass incurable epidemics from youngsters and twenties nation wide who won't recover from their mental coma for many many years....

[quandow]

I noticed some time ago that I can no longer access google.com unless I use my vpn. It defaults to .co.th and I have a feeling this is just scratching the surface of what Thailand is planning regarding control of the web. I've switched to a Tor browser and, though it's a bit slower, it's completely open. No more of those "green screens" of Thainess.

[Beetlejuice]

I noticed some time ago that I can no longer access google.com unless I use my vpn. It defaults to .co.th and I have a feeling this is just scratching the surface of what Thailand is planning regarding control of the web. I've switched to a Tor browser and, though it's a bit slower, it's completely open. No more of those "green screens" of Thainess.

Find that difficult to believe.

I have been using Google UK and Google US as my home pages for years on all my browsers, never had a problem. Have you tried setting up Google in your browsers?

By using the Tor browser, you are treading on dodgy ground. It is a fallacy that the Tor browser is completely anonymous and hides users IP addresses. Because once into a chosen website, the users IP address will exit on the standard system, also the activities via Tor are now on 24 hour surveillance by the police and authorities. The policy in Thailand regarding Tor is that it is OK to use, but go into anything illegal, such as criminal sites, anti Thai, Thailand banned sites and child porn then the user will be nabbed. I would not recommend anyone to download the Tor browser.

[GinBoy2]

I noticed some time ago that I can no longer access google.com unless I use my vpn. It defaults to .co.th and I have a feeling this is just scratching the surface of what Thailand is planning regarding control of the web. I've switched to a Tor browser and, though it's a bit slower, it's completely open. No more of those "green screens" of Thainess.

Thats a browser thing. type; google.com/ncr that will place a cookie on the system creating 'no country redirect'