Thumbs down for Thai govt's proposed single Internet gateway

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Thumbs down for proposed single Internet gateway
ASINA PORNWASIN
THE NATION

Government warned move could damage fast-growing e-commerce sector, besides also posing serious connection issues

BANGKOK: - THAI online businesses, Internet service providers and netizens have joined forces to oppose the government's single Internet gateway plan.

Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, president of the Thai E-Commerce Association and the founder of Rakuten TARAD.com, said such an idea ran counter to the nature of the Internet and would damage the fast-growing e-commerce sector due to connection bottlenecks.

Pawoot said customers outside Thailand would face slower Internet speed when they access e-commerce websites, thus affecting sales revenues in the e-commerce sector.

At present, Thailand's Internet is accessible from multiple gateways.

"We're talking with other Internet-related associations about writing a joint letter to the government to oppose this idea and it is not true that the proposed single gateway would help service providers reduce cost," said Pawoot.

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said all feedback was welcomed regarding the plan, which was still at the feasibility-study stage.

He said the government's policy was to promote the digital economy and e-commerce, but it also needed to balance national security with the people's right to information and Internet freedom.

A campaign called "Go against Thai govt to use a Single Internet Gateway" on Change.org was launched after the plan was unveiled.

As of yesterday, more than 70,000 people supported the campaign.

The reaction of most people to the proposal, including those expressed on web-board Pantip.com and on social media, has been negative.

Pawoot said the proposed Internet firewall would lead to easier and more effective filtering of content, but a single gateway was risky since the Internet could be down more often, causing enormous economic damage.

Morragot Kulatumyotin, managing director of Internet Thailand Public Company, said the government would not find it easy to implement the plan because the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission's licences allowed the private sector to operate many gateways.

"As an Internet service provider, we have not been informed of this plan or asked for an opinion," said Morragot, adding that there must be seamless and continuous Internet access.

INET, for example, has four links to international Internet gateways.

"Stability of connection is very important, so a single gateway is not practical in the digital age. If the government is worried about national security issues, it would be better to enforce the [computer crime] law," said Morragot.

However, Morragot said the government may consider playing the role of coordinator to bargain with international companies to get a better price for bandwidths used by Thai Internet service providers and Internet end-users.

Poomjit Sirawongprasert, president of the Thai Hosting Service Providers Club, said that Internet hosting providers were concerned about slower Internet speed if the single gateway were used.

Poomjit said a slower Internet would hurt online businesses and other business such as online gaming, movie and video streaming companies, voiceover IP companies, and even the banking sector - ATMs and electronic money transfers.

Netizens would also be impacted negatively during crises when a lot of people use the Internet at the same time, Poomjit said.

"If the government uses the single gateway, the bandwidth must be very large and that needs a huge investment," said Poomjit, adding that people are also worried the government would be able to monitor their content more easily.

Prinya Hom-anek, president and chief executive officer of the ACIS Professional Centre, said the single gateway plan made sense if there were multiple links and trustworthiness between the public and the private sector.

Prinya said the single gateway system should not be managed by the ICT Ministry, but an independent body similar to the Bank of Thailand and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand.

Paiboon Amonpinyokeat, an Internet legal expert and the founder of law firm P&P Company, said the plan was outdated and would restrict people's right to knowledge and Internet freedom.

Paiboon said the government might be worried about the growing popularity of peer-to-peer communication platforms like LINE and WhatsApp as Internet and mobile operators did not keep log files of this traffic because it would be a huge cost.

Paiboon said the government should enforce the law and require operators to keep log files of traffic and possibly provide a subsidy to operators so it could open log files to access messages.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Thumbs-down-for-proposed-single-Internet-gateway-30269670.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-28

[Somtamnication]

""Stability of connection is very important, so a single gateway is not practical in the digital age" Pardon my rude interruption; we don't have a stable connection since dial up!

[selftaopath]

I am totally against a "Great Firewall of Thailand." This seems more in line with governments like China and North Korea has.

I thought this government 's aim is/was to diminish corruption/nepotism, and ultimately increase democratic principles. Good chance I am incorrect in my assertion.

[englishoak]

Thumbs down ? well thats rather polite but hell YES thumbs down, pretty please with cherries on top.

[MaxLee]

"BANGKOK: - THAI online businesses, Internet service providers and netizens have joined forces to oppose the government's single Internet gateway plan."

If the Nation of Thailand and its citizens vehemently protests against such a lunatic idea, the government would have to put the entire country into mass attitude adjustment, including the kids or completely annihilate them, would they dare to go that far???

But, with article number "which must not be named", UN-possible is nothing...

Edited September 28, 2015 by MaxLee

[clockman]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

[StefanBBK]

If this was economically beneficent it would have been done long ago.

[MaxLee]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

They can just hire some technicians from China and let them do it for them

Edited September 28, 2015 by MaxLee

[alant]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

They can just hire some technicians from China and let them do it for them

I doubt they would get a work permit.

[ratcatcher]

If this was economically beneficent it would have been done long ago.

There is nothing beneficent about this plan. In fact quite the opposite. It is a cynical means of controlling the population.

It will in no way be beneficial to Thailand now or in future.

[jacky54]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

They can just hire some technicians from China and let them do it for them

Maybe ask them to get the immigration 90 day report online working as well, and the thaiairwys site and the etc etc

[ronthai]

Change.org for Thais (Thai readers) only. Has at the bottom a NON-WORKING language selector.

Too bad, they could be getting a lot more than 70.000 votes/supporters.

[robblok]

Thumbs down ? well thats rather polite but hell YES thumbs down, pretty please with cherries on top.

Lets hope the resistance against this grows even more, and makes the junta realize that this is a real bad idea for the economy.

[Cats4ever]

Authoritarian "old fellas", who don't really understand the net, come up with these ideas.

[jesimps]

Because robblok is the only junta fanatic posting his opposition to this ridiculous proposal, I assume the rest of the camp followers are for it.

[DisparateDan]

Just tried to login via google to dailymail news uk

The news section

Got the Green Page..is it a porn site. ?

[robblok]

Just tried to login via google to dailymail news uk

The news section

Got the Green Page..is it a porn site. ?

dailymail has been blocked for ages.. nothing new.

[robblok]

Because robblok is the only junta fanatic posting his opposition to this ridiculous proposal, I assume the rest of the camp followers are for it.

Actually in other topics there are more what you call junta fanatics posting against this. Micmac for sure and others too.

Anyway is it so hard to understand that one can support the junta and not support everything they do. I expected more from the junta to be honest, but i still prefer them over the Shins. Just see them as less bad at the moment. But this idea is really crazy and should be shot down.

Edited September 28, 2015 by robblok

[lavender19]

Thumbs down ? well thats rather polite but hell YES thumbs down, pretty please with cherries on top.

Lets hope the resistance against this grows even more, and makes the junta realize that this is a real bad idea for the economy.

You can still sign the petition on change .org if anyone can be bothered

[edwardflory]

Take the number of THAI mobiles ( especially the ones on Facebook ALL day - my GF about 12 hrs a day )

add

The number of hotel / long term stay places WiFi

and

add the number of Internet lounges

and

the number of home networks

and

the number of businesses using credit / debit / AMEX / etc cards - MAJOR PAYMENTS

and

the number of businesses using some type of money debit card [eg 7-11 card] )

and

the number of BANK NETWORKS ( if then go down,,,,,dark ages???? )

and

the number of TOURISTS sending LIVE video back home

equals

DISASTER with ONE gateway

Edited September 28, 2015 by edwardflory

[empireboy]

Can't see this being any practical use for Thailand and it certainly get's my THUMBS DOWN!

[robblok]

Thumbs down ? well thats rather polite but hell YES thumbs down, pretty please with cherries on top.

Lets hope the resistance against this grows even more, and makes the junta realize that this is a real bad idea for the economy.

You can still sign the petition on change .org if anyone can be bothered

I am looking for it as I can be bothered.. what search term should i use.

[Thian]

Funny, now they write about proposed single internet gateway.

Some days ago i read it was bought in secret many months ago. So where is the thing now? Are they figuring out how to set it up? The Thai can't do that (i guess) so some farangs have to be flown in to make it work.

Forget about online stockmarket-trading if that thing is online, when markets get stressed it won't work anymore and you can't sell/buy.

Edited September 28, 2015 by Thian

[williamgeorgeallen]

not sure if anyone else has pointed this out but a single gateway becomes a monopoly service provider. I don't think a monopoly has every ended up with consumers getting better prices or better service. that aside from all the other bad reasons for doing this.

[Srikcir]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

They can just hire some technicians from China and let them do it for them

You don'r need Chinese technicians to set up a national gateway - just use China's Great Wall gateway. The Thai military has its own gateway anyways.

[oneday]

"We're talking with other Internet-related associations about writing a joint letter to the government to oppose this idea and it is not true that the proposed single gateway would help service providers reduce cost," said Pawoot.

And there you go, right from the mouths of people who would know, the government is telling a little white lie about this being to help businesses save money.

"As an Internet service provider, we have not been informed of this plan or asked for an opinion," said Morragot.

Didn't you know Mr Morragot, this is what happens when you have a non-elected military government that takes over by force. Of course, they didn't ask your opinion, because they could care less.

However, Morragot said the government may consider playing the role of coordinator to bargain with international companies to get a better price for bandwidths used by Thai Internet service providers and Internet end-users.

but...but...but that's not what the government REALLY wants and you know it. Oh, you said that tongue-in-cheek, didn't you?

[JAG]

Authoritarian "old fellas", who don't really understand the net, come up with these ideas.

Indeed, if I have the monopoly on milling rice/refining palm oil/ processing rubber in "my area" I can force low prices on the buffaloes who produce it and negotiate high prices with my fellow cartel members to sell it.

My government will ensure that continues, so what do I need the Internet for? Upping the credit card limit for the Mia Noi will settle her down when Line and Facebook collapse. And the "buffaloes"? Sufficiency Economy don't you know!

[scotsman]

https://www.change.org/p/thai-govt-%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B1%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%8B%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%8C-stop-proposed-plan-for-single-internet-gateway?tk=F-9cD3DnBctQwpklrWdTX4ATHGNb3ot-9OASaYsSvx8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt&utm_campaign=new_signature The petition is here if you don't want a single gateway i have signed it.

regards

scotsman

[arrowsdawdle]

They are just dreaming, they do not have the skills or people to make this wall.!

They don't need skills or people, they only need Article 44.

[arrowsdawdle]

It is not all that difficult to shut down all other options and restrict access through one gateway that is no doubt designed to monopolize revenues for cousin Somchai. Then whenever a coup or live fire zone is perpetrated again all access to social media and email will immediately come to a halt....sort of a digital divide and conquer, not to mention press blackout.

Edited September 28, 2015 by arrowsdawdle