Govt orders great firewall of Thailand

[Sam Jones]

Time to empty all the "Fixed Accounts" and get out of here ... Not much to miss anymore really

I dont envy people that have lots of Money tied up in this Banana Republic

[Sam Jones]

Well folks, this can happen in a Banana-Republic overnight. However, the current government is only trying to turn this country into "A STABLE COUNTRY". Like China, North Korea, Iran and Russia.

So, the order of the day for every Farang must be: Invest every Satang you have in Thailand. For you and your Farang money, the future looks bright in Thailand. Don't miss out on it !

Cheers.

Opps, I interpreted it completely different, maybe I shouldn't make plans to move out of Thailand?

Nah, I think I will continue with my plans as I've had enough of Thailand now and lucky enough, my Thai wife too.

+1 (and my thaiwife too) ...

[smedly]

This is a very misdirected and poor ill thought out proposal - and yes I am being very critical of this move and 100% disagree with it on numerous levels and for numerous reasons - extremely bad call

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.

A baiting post has now been removed.

[Just1Voice]

And wasn't it just earlier this year they proudly proclaimed they were going to be the IT "hub" of SE Asia? Can't see that coming to fruition.

[Bluespunk]

"Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth."

Albert Einstein

[givenall]

good luck. the era of stooping information is pass'. social networking will work no matter what

[thailanddogerator]

The best reason to move as soon as they definitively show how smart they are...

[NOC]

This is a fool's mistake.

[graemeaylward]

Does anyone know whether this will effect ExPat TV? I watch this through the internet and would hate to miss proper news via the BBC! Hopefully, this idea will fail to reach fruition as so many of the dear General's crackpot schemes have!

[billd766]

What are they hoping to stop exactly? What nefarious info is getting out or in that they want to stop? Anyone?

Im guessing they are more interested in being able to read peoples emails and messages then blocking websites.

They are welcome to read mine if they are into boredom.

[slipperylobster]

and so...

cyber warfare has begun. My thoughts are that the best defense is a good offense. Thailand can sure expect to be tested from outside sources....Anonymous may soon be speaking in thai.

[Throatwobbler]

Who in here does not know that certain sites are blocked already and have been for years. Should try to look at some xxx sites and report back especially those that have Thais on the pictures. Also the daily mail has been blocked for ages long before this government came in power. There are more examples of sites that have been blocked.

Still this is a step back if they want to expend the current blocking even further.

The daily Mail was blocked by this government.

[ianf]

The fanbois are going to have a tough time selling this turd. When will they have an inkling that they have backed the wrong horse?

Still, this will be good....

Why would someone in favor of the junta agree with everything they do. Did you agree with Thaksin letting his guys bomb and kill people ?

This is just crazy and should not be done. However a simple VPN and you can access all the sites you want, or you just use the tor network.

What is VPN and how does it work? (Showing my ignorance!)

[robblok]

Who in here does not know that certain sites are blocked already and have been for years. Should try to look at some xxx sites and report back especially those that have Thais on the pictures. Also the daily mail has been blocked for ages long before this government came in power. There are more examples of sites that have been blocked.

Still this is a step back if they want to expend the current blocking even further.

The daily Mail was blocked by this government.

My mistake i thought it was the previous as they blocked a lot of sites too

Most Internet censorship in Thailand prior to the September 2006 military coup d'état was focused on blocking pornographic websites. The following years have seen a constant stream of sometimes violent protests, regional unrest,^[1] emergency decrees,^[2] a new cybercrimes law,^[3] and an updated Internal Security Act.^[4] Year by year Internet censorship has grown, with its focus shifting to lèse majesté, national security, and political issues. By 2010, estimates put the number of websites blocked at over 110,000.^[5] In December 2011, a dedicated government operation, the Cyber Security Operation Center, was opened. Between its opening and March 2014, the Center told ISPs to block 22,599 URLs.^[6]

^{From wiki}

[robblok]

The fanbois are going to have a tough time selling this turd. When will they have an inkling that they have backed the wrong horse?

Still, this will be good....

Why would someone in favor of the junta agree with everything they do. Did you agree with Thaksin letting his guys bomb and kill people ?

This is just crazy and should not be done. However a simple VPN and you can access all the sites you want, or you just use the tor network.

What is VPN and how does it work? (Showing my ignorance!)

A VPN is a (usually paid for server) that hides your traffic. This way you can visit whatever site you want and nobody knows. Used a lot for instance to watch UK tv on websites that restrict it to only UK Ip addresses.

[PaPiPuPePo]

Don't worry, the public backlash will be overwhelming.

Even if they push ahead with the laws, the next civilian government can always repeal the laws.

The previous government already put a firewall there some sites are already blocked, so don't be too sure of that. For the record i am against this kind of thing but just try opening the dailymail and you will see its blocked. So its not a new thing..

I suggest you and your posts likers spend some time in China. No google, no access to any number of legitimate information/news sources, no knowing when a page will load or not.

So sure, get a VPN, spend $100 or more for that, watch your page loads slow down, have your VPN kicked off (chased off) by the gov't, up the protocol to 256-bit and surf that much slower, get knocked offline again, try a different encryption protocol, etc etc.

Me, I've dealt with the cost and/or frustrations during many trips there, have you?

[Throatwobbler]

Who in here does not know that certain sites are blocked already and have been for years. Should try to look at some xxx sites and report back especially those that have Thais on the pictures. Also the daily mail has been blocked for ages long before this government came in power. There are more examples of sites that have been blocked.

Still this is a step back if they want to expend the current blocking even further.

The daily Mail was blocked by this government.

My mistake i thought it was the previous as they blocked a lot of sites too

Most Internet censorship in Thailand prior to the September 2006 military coup d'état was focused on blocking pornographic websites. The following years have seen a constant stream of sometimes violent protests, regional unrest,^[1] emergency decrees,^[2] a new cybercrimes law,^[3] and an updated Internal Security Act.^[4] Year by year Internet censorship has grown, with its focus shifting to lèse majesté, national security, and political issues. By 2010, estimates put the number of websites blocked at over 110,000.^[5] In December 2011, a dedicated government operation, the Cyber Security Operation Center, was opened. Between its opening and March 2014, the Center told ISPs to block 22,599 URLs.^[6]

^{From wiki}

All sides have blocked sites. What is being proposed now is a lot scarier.

[robblok]

All sides have blocked sites. What is being proposed now is a lot scarier.

Agreed, im against it but its not a new thing.

[robblok]

Don't worry, the public backlash will be overwhelming.

Even if they push ahead with the laws, the next civilian government can always repeal the laws.

The previous government already put a firewall there some sites are already blocked, so don't be too sure of that. For the record i am against this kind of thing but just try opening the dailymail and you will see its blocked. So its not a new thing..

I suggest you and your posts likers spend some time in China. No google, no access to any number of legitimate information/news sources, no knowing when a page will load or not.

So sure, get a VPN, spend $100 or more for that, watch your page loads slow down, have your VPN kicked off (chased off) by the gov't, up the protocol to 256-bit and surf that much slower, get knocked offline again, try a different encryption protocol, etc etc.

Me, I've dealt with the cost and/or frustrations during many trips there, have you?

I don't say that this is a good thing, im 100% against it and think its a step back in time. Just showing that they all do it.. and I was against that too.

[PaPiPuPePo]

Not all VPNs can be easily blocked. Depends on the protocol and where you access a VPN server. Cat and mouse strategies required. Prepare now for this new TH policy.

Indeed, there will always be ways around it for those with half a brain.

You should be ok then.

Im quite sure I will be ok and so will other members who have a bit more as basic computer skills. That does not mean I like the plan as it would probably mean that international sites would load even slower. Many people downloading torrents and others would suffer too. Just a stupid idea, hope there will a big public backlash.

I use a very good VPN in China, one considered the best by many (not going to mention the name so I don't get accused of shilling for them), and of course the Chinese authorities are on to them so you can still get knocked offline many times in one internet session.

Anyway, this is a step in the wrong direction and should be opposed on principle IMO rather than shrugging the shoulders and saying "we'll just react to it." Better to react against the proposal, an ounce of prevention....

[robblok]

I use a very good VPN in China, one considered the best by many (not going to mention the name so I don't get accused of shilling for them), and of course the Chinese authorities are on to them so you can still get knocked offline many times in one internet session.

Anyway, this is a step in the wrong direction and should be opposed on principle IMO rather than shrugging the shoulders and saying "we'll just react to it." Better to react against the proposal, an ounce of prevention....

Already said in many posts that its a bad thing.. but if it comes I would find other ways (and yes it would be slower and bad) I am against this as much as you.

[Bellacissa]

All sides have blocked sites. What is being proposed now is a lot scarier.

I'm not always great about remembering to fire up my VPN before getting online. I just stuck a post it note on my laptop as a gentle reminder for the future. It will be helpful provided there isn't a block put up on those as well. Yes, it slows everything down, but I can deal with the buffering.

Better than the alternative.

[PaPiPuPePo]

I'll add that the social and economic costs of a single-point internet are very high. A free flow of information facilitates a free flow of money, and obviously academics, educators, and researchers suffer from internet censorship.

[baboon]

This is a very misdirected and poor ill thought out proposal - and yes I am being very critical of this move and 100% disagree with it on numerous levels and for numerous reasons - extremely bad call

But did you not in all honesty envisage something like this happening?

[slipperylobster]

Just read a bit closer, and you will see that certain new laws will be enacted/revised. The way this usually goes, is that the use of VPN's, file sharing networks, tor/onion networks...will be outlawed.

It's the only way they can enforce this. Expect stiff penalties to be set up for violators...and quite a few "examples" made. I am quite sure that violators will be tracked and reported by ISP's (even spoofing MAC addresses will not protect you). Information may go to a website outside thailand disguising your IP...but that banned webpage sure as heck comes back to your machine ID (monitored by your service providor).

Well, I am guessing a bit about that capability...but if you are reading a banned webpage (that was blocked), then obviously you had used a vpn, or a tor browser...etc.

I would not like to be "invited" by the local sheriff and asked why I was accessing banned material.

[MichaelJohn]

I recall the Govts intention to turn Thailand into a data center hub. I can hear the debate round the Board tables .... "where shall we base ourselves, North Korea or Thailand". Ummmmm tough choice

[krey]

would anyone have a link to the story but in the Thai Language?

thanks

[robertson468]

The fanbois are going to have a tough time selling this turd. When will they have an inkling that they have backed the wrong horse?

Still, this will be good....

Why would someone in favor of the junta agree with everything they do. Did you agree with Thaksin letting his guys bomb and kill people ?

This is just crazy and should not be done. However a simple VPN and you can access all the sites you want, or you just use the tor network.

Not actually Sparky. They can block VPNs very easily if they are really serious. Contrary to popular belief, VPNs can be blocked.

They have already started to block VPNs. Just convinced me also that it is time to leave. Had a great time and no regrets about the time I have been here, but..............!

[Bellacissa]

Just read a bit closer, and you will see that certain new laws will be enacted/revised. The way this usually goes, is that the use of VPN's, file sharing networks, tor/onion networks...will be outlawed.

It's the only way they can enforce this. Expect stiff penalties to be set up for violators...and quite a few "examples" made. I am quite sure that violators will be tracked and reported by ISP's (even spoofing MAC addresses will not protect you). Information may go to a website outside thailand disguising your IP...but that banned webpage sure as heck comes back to your machine ID (monitored by your service providor).

Well, I am guessing a bit about that capability...but if you are reading a banned webpage (that was blocked), then obviously you had used a vpn, or a tor browser...etc.

I would not like to be "invited" by the local sheriff and asked why I was accessing banned material.

Oh, make no mistake. I won't be accessing anything by VPN or tor if that's part of what's banned. I'm smarter than that. I'm simply hoping that won't be part of the master plan.

Just trying to keep hope alive for as long as I can over here.