Ministry blocks websites that have nothing to do with Thailand, why ?

[steven100]

Can anyone answer as to why the ministry of communication & information technology block website articles that are simple stories and have nothing to do with thailand. The blocked stories are not illegal, not porn, just general stories about people or news items.

Thailand is lagging way behind in the IT industry from what can be seen. Try opening a thailand website to gather up to date information on travel schedules or similar .. you will see that the information is usually so old that it's outdated.

Try getting a telephone number from a site to call and make a general inquiry ... no chance.

Another example is classified adds selling property, inaccurate info and outdated.

Many websites don't offer english, many websites with alternative selection icons do nothing when you click on them ...

Isn't it about time Thailand caught up with the rest of the world with it's internet infrastructure and IT. ? I think thailand is still in the dark ages.

Has anyone else experienced these problems ... ?

[bkkjames]

Do you have an example url?

[Jay Sata]

UK newspaper the Daily Mail.

Available everywhere in the world apart from North Korea and Thailand.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Jay Sata

[Crossy]

The Daily Wail is blocked (probably permanently) for publishing an article considered as serious LM, several threads on this subject.

As to why other sites are blocked, who knows, but like the Mail it's possible a single article triggered the block.

Just a reminder of the forum rules :-

4) You will not not discuss methods of bypassing blocking of websites, or circumventing any censorship of the internet or other communications by lawful authorities.

[h90]

Many country do the same:

China

UK

Germany (I got the piratebay blocked in Germany)

etc etc

[sdanielmcev]

Why would a Thai website be in English? And, are these websites blocked by Thailand? Could you please show us some evidence?.

[Crossy]

Why would a Thai website be in English? And, are these websites blocked by Thailand? Could you please show us some evidence?.

It's not necessarily Thai websites that are blocked.

Many sites (including the Daily Mail) redirect to the Green Screen of Death here http://203.113.26.210/ a pretty obvious government block.

[zeichen]

the wikipedia page for the King was blocked. I thought that was strange since all other royal members pages are accessible.

<reference to illegal bypass method removed>

In China so many things are blocked, Youtube, Facebook,

Personally, I don't mind censorship when it is done justly. I think that there is a lot of information and sites out there that are harmful. Some conflict with social more's some conflict with economy, some are just wrong.

I also think that blocking media is a good thing. Until the Media raise their standards and cultural sensitivity, I think that they shouldn't print what they don't know. Seldom is an article about Thailand written by a foreign "journalist" accurate. They don't speak or read Thai, they rely on translators and guides that may or may not be showing them all angles.

Western media is incredibly bias for what they deem democracy. There isn't a single neutral article written in the past decade. I don't care what side readers are on but both sides should be informed by a neutral voice.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Crossy
Please read the forum rules.

[Tonto21]

Pages getting blocked, pages that have nothing to do with Thailand........ I think some pages are being blocked because of 'trigger' words or phrases use in the titles of stories posted and a block put in place automatically.

A lot of the blocked sites will be on a 'blocked' list and simple blocked from the get go, all because of a previous posting or track record of posting. Others will fall foul of officials simple deeming the content subversive.

That's how I see it.

[steven100]

Do you have an example url?

www.ninemsn.com .... article about Whitney Houstons daughter.

ok .... I just noticed it has ' Daily Mail ' under the heading which as other posters have mentioned ...

[samsensam]

seems every example of a blocked web site here has thai related content.

come on OP we need examples of non thai related/porn sites blocked?

... and why should thai web sites be in english unless they are directed at a foreign audience?

[Jessi]

Isn't it about time Thailand caught up with the rest of the world with it's internet infrastructure and IT. ? I think thailand is still in the dark ages.

I have been saying that for 24 years..............The words Thailand & logic should never be used in the same sentence.

[Time Traveller]

the wikipedia page for the King was blocked. I thought that was strange since all other royal members pages are accessible.

<reference to illegal bypass method removed>

In China so many things are blocked, Youtube, Facebook,

Personally, I don't mind censorship when it is done justly. I think that there is a lot of information and sites out there that are harmful. Some conflict with social more's some conflict with economy, some are just wrong.

I also think that blocking media is a good thing. Until the Media raise their standards and cultural sensitivity, I think that they shouldn't print what they don't know. Seldom is an article about Thailand written by a foreign "journalist" accurate. They don't speak or read Thai, they rely on translators and guides that may or may not be showing them all angles.

Western media is incredibly bias for what they deem democracy. There isn't a single neutral article written in the past decade. I don't care what side readers are on but both sides should be informed by a neutral voice.

It seems Thai government propaganda moles have now inflitrated Thaivisa forum.

In my experience, the only journalists who tell the truth about Thailand are based outside of the country. If you don't beleive me, ask any Thai academic that is not based in Thailand.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Time Traveller

[umbanda]

Talking about websites in Thailand, I am not a web developer, and also not a native English speaker, but if I was, I will look in get business doing that for Thai companies without English language web sites. It is a huge market for that kind of work here, and in another countries, and can be done online. My first web site for work I had in the US in 1997, was done by a young guy living in India. At that time I didn't have so much experience with computers, and still not good. He did online, and a very good job. It was very, very cheap, comparing with US web designers. Years later I found people doing very well with that kind of work in Mexico and Brazil. Now..simple web sites can be done using free servers, with easy tools, but a custom made commercial web site needs a professional designer and updater. May be a good opportunity for some farangs looking in working here by their selves.

In 2011, I met a young Thai guy working with web sites. I asked about his business, and he was smart ad savvy..but I had a surprise. he didn't know about Web Optimization and Adwords, another good market.

Edited February 6, 2015 by umbanda

[KhunBENQ]

The ever recurring Daily Mail story

They have been blocked for content about Thai royals since May.

The content is so delicate that it can not be discussed in this forum.

Another UK tabloid copied the story and put an even more "dangerous" story on top.

Today I saw headlines in Google news pointing to even more content of this kind in "The Guardian".

In contrast to the old storys in the Daily Mail it is about a current event (a cremation ceremony).

I will not write more here.

Dangerous: one put be put in prison for years just for distributing these stories.

[KhunBENQ]

Do you have an example url?

www.ninemsn.com .... article about Whitney Houstons daughter.

ok .... I just noticed it has ' Daily Mail ' under the heading which as other posters have mentioned ...

http://www.ninemsn.com.au/ is currently not blocked for me (ToT).

Also I can not find "suspicious" content (at least not easily).

[umbanda]

Talking about websites in Thailand, I am not a web developer, and also not a native English speaker, but if I was, I will look in get business doing that for Thai companies without English language web sites. It is a huge market for that kind of work here, and in another countries, and can be done online. My first web site for work I had in the US in 1997, was done by a young guy living in India. At that time I didn't have so much experience with computers, and still not good. He did online, and a very good job. It was very, very cheap, comparing with US web designers. Years later I found people doing very well with that kind of work in Mexico and Brazil. Now..simple web sites can be done using free servers, with easy tools, but a custom made commercial web site needs a professional designer and updater. May be a good opportunity for some farangs looking in working here by their selves.

In 2011, I met a young Thai guy working with web sites. I asked about his business, and he was smart ad savvy..but I had a surprise. he didn't know about Web Optimization and Adwords, another good market.

Sorry, by mistake I posted this on this topic, and not on the internet topic. Back to deleted but was not possible anymore.

[petercool]

Moved to internet etc forum

[steven100]

Moved to internet etc forum

Petercool, I think i've read enough comments regarding this. Can you pls close the thread.

Thanks.