Calls to hold Thai cyber bills until democracy is restored

[webfact]

Calls to hold cyber bills until democracy is restored
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE 10 cyber-security bills should be halted and reconsidered after a democratically-elected Parliament has returned, said cyber activists who met yesterday to discuss the negative repercussions of the bills, which included, they argued, compromised Internet privacy.

Also present at the Bangkok symposium was an Army Lieutenant who arrived uninvited with three other soldiers in an armoured Humvee and "asked" to be allowed to defend the draft bills.

Opponents of the bills said the proposed laws would enable the authorities to set up committees that could access the personal data of people across all forms and formats without court orders, thus damaging the confidence of businesses while |jeopardising the privacy of individual Internet users.

Narongsak Niamsorn, a communications officer at iLaw, a non-governmental organisation promoting democratic legal reform, said the drafting of the bills was very important and required the participation of all sides.

But Narongsak argued this could not be achieved under the current political climate, with martial law imposed and a military regime in power and the National Legislative Assembly handpicked by the junta. Thus, the process should be put on hold until democracy was restored.

"It would be more difficult to amend it afterward," said Narongsak, who added that iLaw had not yet lobbied members of the NLA as it was still considering whether to acknowledge them as legitimate.

An uphill struggle

Arthit Suriyawongkul, coordinator of the Thai Netizen Network, said his group had lobbied the Constitution Drafting Assembly and the National Reform Council over the issue but he acknowledged it was an uphill struggle given that Thailand was under martial law.

Arthit called the bills "alarming" and questioned what would happen if a centralised state organ could access all Internet information at will without seeking court approval.

Currently, he said, police had to forward a request to the chief of the Department of Special Investigation, who decided whether to seek court permission to access Internet information.

"Power without scrutiny or checks and balances is very risky. It can even be said that it is unnecessary," he told a small group of mostly high school and university students at the symposium organised by the Rise Up Thai Students Network and held at Santi Prachatham Library on Charoen Nakhon Road.

Army Lieutenant Kittiphob Tiensiriwong, who sat next to Arthit, urged the 35-strong crowd to accept the bills, saying that the NLA had good intentions but acknowledging that the bills must have more positive than negative aspects.

When asked to explain, Kittiphob, who did not remove his footwear like the other participants, said there were times when speedy access to the Internet was needed.

He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective."

Netiwit Choltiphatphaisal, coordinator of the student network that hosted the event, told that The Nation it was at least fortunate the junta did not shut down the meeting although it should have informed the organisers well in advance that it wanted a representative to speak.

After the talk ended and the Army Lieutenant left, leaving behind two of the soldiers, the students screened 1984, the film adaptation of George Orwell's controversial novel.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Calls-to-hold-cyber-bills-until-democracy-is-resto-30253161.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-02

[NongKhaiKid]

i would suggest this is one request that will fall on deaf ears and for very obvious reasons as controls such as this are exactly what junta controlled govts want..

Nice touch to send soldiers in an armoured vehicle to ' defend ' the bill and assure of good intentions.

Very reassuring and in keeping with dear leader's assertions that no one is ever forced to do anything.

[oneday]

"...THE 10 cyber-security bills should be halted and reconsidered after a democratically-elected Parliament has returned, said cyber activists who met yesterday to discuss the negative repercussions of the bills, which included, they argued, compromised Internet privacy..."

Wow, now this is a very reasonable proposal. For that very reason and because this bill will further help the junta consolidate their power, it will be rejected.

[oneday]

"...When asked to explain, Kittiphob, who did not remove his footwear like the other participants..."

Blatant disrespect.

"...He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective..."

Wow! Now that is some of the scariest and most revealing talk I have heard yet from a representative of this junta. It brings to mind ants, bees and commun....ts.

[tif]

Prayuth's been sharing way too many cups of Formosa with Xi http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/is-this-north-korea-chinese-netizens-squirm-as-party-tightens-grip-on-internet/2015/01/28/79cfc809-21ea-4437-9d4b-5ece2cfc75f6_story.html

I know the part about gmail to be true at least as I'd had the 'error' come up for several days until I switched my search engine to Bing.

Having said that, bit odd coming from an admin who are unable to even throw a firewall around their government offices ...

[WitawatWatawit]

"...When asked to explain, Kittiphob, who did not remove his footwear like the other participants..."

Blatant disrespect.

"...He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective..."

Wow! Now that is some of the scariest and most revealing talk I have heard yet from a representative of this junta. It brings to mind ants, bees and commun....ts.

Scary indeed, and from a lower rank, so just how indoctrinated are the troops who are supposed to defend the people? And two soldiers left behind ... don't mind them, they're on civic duty to help the elderly participants down the stairs.

[realenglish1]

" He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective."

This is what is scary To think as a collective Is Borg Society

[MaxLee]

Prepare for the WRATH of absolute unstoppable power from the former General and reigning PM.

What he orders will be DONE without questioning...

Book it...

[Expat1]

I was very much in favor of the military stepping in when they did but as in every coup I have been through over the years they always take it too far and try to impose military thinking on the civil populace. Human nature one supposes.

This comment pretty much covers it...

He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective."

Control those who think unlike others. Well, as far as I understand that pretty much is the antithesis of democracy. What happened to "I do not agree with what you say but I shall defend to the death your right to say it" ?

Guess Army Lieutenant Kittiphob Tiensiriwong likes his democracy in lock step.

[h90]

It is the same as in Europe or USA......bad thing, but not a Thai thing.

[iReason]

"Also present at the Bangkok symposium was an Army Lieutenant who arrived uninvited with three other soldiers in an armoured Humvee and "asked" to be allowed to defend the draft bills."

[Orac]

I am no defender of the current regime by any stretch of the imagination but it appears than rather than just shut down this forum, the military actually joined in and attempted to explain their position whilst letting others get their points of view across - seems like a step forward to me. Their footwear and the type of vehicle they arrived in smacks of someone looking for any excuse to criticise and takes away from the importance of the issues being discussed.

[rubl]

I still think any 'snooping' should be with warrant issued by a court only. Add rules for request after the snooping to allow for emergencies but put heavy penalties if the urgency cannot be justified afterwards.

As for 'wait till we have an elected' government, well under Martial Law these laws don't really matter much, now do they? It's a good opportunity to get started as is unavoidable seeing what happens in other countries.

BTW the last time people complained that an appointed government shouldn't handle important issues but leave them to elected governments was in 2007. The Surayut government was told the "inheritance and land tax law" was so important that it should be left to an elected government only. I guess that's why we needed another appointed government seven years later to get something done

[WitawatWatawit]

I am no defender of the current regime by any stretch of the imagination but it appears than rather than just shut down this forum, the military actually joined in and attempted to explain their position whilst letting others get their points of view across - seems like a step forward to me. Their footwear and the type of vehicle they arrived in smacks of someone looking for any excuse to criticise and takes away from the importance of the issues being discussed.

It was a public forum permitted by the junta to discuss national reforms. So allowing it is not a step forward.

You're missing the point and the (not-so) subtle hints.

[rubl]

Just to put things in perspective with what other democratic countries do and how people feel about that.

Peoples view on government agencies (including NSA and IRS)

http://www.people-press.org/2015/01/22/most-view-the-cdc-favorably-vas-image-slips/#views-of-the-nsa-little-changed-from-2013

"Army sets up new brigade 'for information age'"

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31070114

Welcome to the IoT aka the Internet of Things. Soon we can see what your refrigerator is doing

[anon022]

"He said the bills aimed "to control those who think unlike others - those who have their own mind and are not considering the thinking of the collective."

What's next, book burning?

[anon022]

Oh my!

Edited February 2, 2015 by Impossible

[BillyBobThai]

If one has something sensitive to convey to another, pen and paper might be the safest way.

Edited February 2, 2015 by BillyBobThai

[Eagleizer]

What's next, book burning?

All your mail will be opened, digitally copied and stored in an open database..

...which is about the same...

[Trouble]

The lieutenant basically admitted that these bills were not about security from things like terrorist threats but for the purpose of keeping their own people in line. "1984" is the perfect film to be screened at the conference after the lieutenant's remarks.

[rubl]

After a thorough investigation the Thai Cyber Watchdog and Snooping Organisation has decided their motto should be similar to that of their British counter part GCHQ