CAT will proceed with the plan to build a national Internet gateway

[lapd]

This is a great idea in theory. Thailand is ideally situated geographically to take advantage of internet submarine cable landings and their natural geographic hub to the rest of SE Asia. Sadly, inside the box thinking will kill any hope of this ever suceeding. Instead of reaching out and being business friendly to companies like Google, Facebook etc. Corruption and greed and xenophobia and anticompetitive behavior will prove an overwhelming force as usual.

If you want to see what these idealist statements look like in reality just look at Singapore. They are everything Thailand wishes they could be but never will be. Most of Thailands internet connectivity goes through Singapore. Most regional datacenters for SE Asia housing large international enterprises are in Singapore. Most high tech in SE Asia is in Singapore. Note: Hong Kong is not technically part of SE Asia. Even if they were I still think Singapore has them beat on a lot of these metrics.

Edited October 22, 2015 by lapd

[elgordo38]

This is not a censorship-driven plan. That's as believable as the general's promises to restore democracy by 2016 2017

You better string out some more dates.

[lvr181]

This is a great idea in theory. Thailand is ideally situated geographically to take advantage of internet submarine cable landings and their natural geographic hub to the rest of SE Asia. Sadly, inside the box thinking will kill any hope of this ever suceeding. Instead of reaching out and being business friendly to companies like Google, Facebook etc. Corruption and greed and xenophobia and anticompetitive behavior will prove an overwhelming force as usual.

If you want to see what these idealist statements look like in reality just look at Singapore. They are everything Thailand wishes they could be but never will be. Most of Thailands internet connectivity goes through Singapore. Most regional datacenters for SE Asia housing large international enterprises are in Singapore. Most high tech in SE Asia is in Singapore. Note: Hong Kong is not technically part of SE Asia. Even if they were I still think Singapore has them beat on a lot of these metrics.

Well said, but I have to disagree about "a great idea in theory". A great idea in some tiny closed minds

[laocowboy2]

He said Thailand now had around 2 terabytes of outbound international Internet traffic

Per day ? Seems low to me.

People tried to send more - but perhaps it was blocked by the Col.

[fusion58]

Here we go again...

Limited or no access to Facebook all day today. No problem with sites hosted in Thailand.

Anyone else experiencing the same?

[keemapoot]

This is a great idea in theory. Thailand is ideally situated geographically to take advantage of internet submarine cable landings and their natural geographic hub to the rest of SE Asia. Sadly, inside the box thinking will kill any hope of this ever suceeding. Instead of reaching out and being business friendly to companies like Google, Facebook etc. Corruption and greed and xenophobia and anticompetitive behavior will prove an overwhelming force as usual.

If you want to see what these idealist statements look like in reality just look at Singapore. They are everything Thailand wishes they could be but never will be. Most of Thailands internet connectivity goes through Singapore. Most regional datacenters for SE Asia housing large international enterprises are in Singapore. Most high tech in SE Asia is in Singapore. Note: Hong Kong is not technically part of SE Asia. Even if they were I still think Singapore has them beat on a lot of these metrics.

Actually, Thailand is not ideally suited geographically as undersea cables have to do a spur into the gulf of Thailand up to Songla, and it's already a fait accompli that Singapore is the "hub" of SE Asia undersea cables. However, regional data centers is another matter, and again, Thailand has already lost this game to SG, HK and Malaysia.

[MaxLee]

So they are just going to do it anyway and the General can just say "It's not me, it's CAT doing it" . Thailand the hub of censorship and slow internet.

Similar to how they're going to buy those 4 subs from China, regardless that everyone outside their circle of back-slapping grinning-ear-to-ear top brass is against it.

How can any international company in China ever do E-business in Thailand....

The international company community must be very very low there for the obvious reasons.

[EJK]

The good news is that there 5 year program can be removed via the next PM.... At this point they have the ball until half time

It willl be a huge disadvantage to millions using the Internet at a international level. Although these people do not think outside the Thai box.

They do not really understand the damage they will do to there own country.

It's actually quite mind boggling that they would pull there own pants off in public

LOL

[JAG]

The good news is that there 5 year program can be removed via the next PM.... At this point they have the ball until half time

It willl be a huge disadvantage to millions using the Internet at a international level. Although these people do not think outside the Thai box.

They do not really understand the damage they will do to there own country.

It's actually quite mind boggling that they would pull there own pants off in public

LOL

That rather assumes that there will be a " next PM. "

There is a very good chance that the Junta will still be around in 5 years time. How long did it take to dislodge their Burmese pals?

[PaulBraveheart]

Who is going to watch the watchers? Why not let the market decide? Central plan is almost always a bad idea.

[dageurreotype]

The good news is that there 5 year program can be removed via the next PM.... At this point they have the ball until half time

It willl be a huge disadvantage to millions using the Internet at a international level. Although these people do not think outside the Thai box.

They do not really understand the damage they will do to there own country.

It's actually quite mind boggling that they would pull there own pants off in public

LOL

That rather assumes that there will be a " next PM. "

There is a very good chance that the Junta will still be around in 5 years time. How long did it take to dislodge their Burmese pals?

Ah! But their Burmese pals didn't have the internet .. Oh wait!

[selftaopath]

No surprise here. They told everyone a couple of weeks ago that it needed a different name for people to accept it. And here we are [drumroll], the "National Internet Gateway" controlled by a state run company. They're probably hoping that putting "National" in the new name will make all Thai people love it.

And most probably will. :-(

[anotheruser]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

medical tourism

sex tourism.

Illegal fishing, human trafficking, slavery.

[jesimps]

* pause internet rage*

All this article says is: CAT is building an international gateway.

So what? They're already operating one (or a few). They need to build more international bandwidth. That, people, is a good thing. I am not seeing anything about establishing a monopoly, or preventing others from investing in their own international gateways.

* unpause *

keep on raging, guys *

You should read what the PM has to say about this in today's news.

The intent is clearly not about increasing bandwidth. It's about controlling access and content.

which the porn lovers hate

Maybe you speak from experience, o patronising one.

[jesimps]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

Several

1) Hub of Corruption

2) Hub of Nepotism

3) Hub of Government incompetence

4) Hub of Military incompetence

To name but 4

I agree with the first 3 - Pheu-Thai were the absolute worst for them all. The first two go without saying and Chalerm + Plodprasop (both deputy PM's) take the biscuit for the third.

But I would venture you have not a clue about military skill or incompetence. Therefore you are just an anti-Junta whiner and I have a feeling your hypocrisy means you didn't mean the dirty cronies with your first 3 points either.

Anyone with an opinion worth listening to would have put police incompetence as number 4. Again a product of red-shirt ethics.

Hey up, he's foaming at the mouth again. "You've forgotten to take your pills, haven't you".

[jesimps]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

Several

1) Hub of Corruption

2) Hub of Nepotism

3) Hub of Government incompetence

4) Hub of Military incompetence

To name but 4

I agree with the first 3 - Pheu-Thai were the absolute worst for them all. The first two go without saying and Chalerm + Plodprasop (both deputy PM's) take the biscuit for the third.

But I would venture you have not a clue about military skill or incompetence. Therefore you are just an anti-Junta whiner and I have a feeling your hypocrisy means you didn't mean the dirty cronies with your first 3 points either.

Anyone with an opinion worth listening to would have put police incompetence as number 4. Again a product of red-shirt ethics.

Hey up, he's foaming at the mouth again. "You've forgotten to take your pills, haven't you dear". Edited October 25, 2015 by jesimps

[Nowisee]

lapd, your comment "Corruption and greed and xenophobia and anticompetitive behavior will prove an overwhelming force as usual." is dead on. I will plagiarize this.

[poohy]

Regardless of what these idiots decide sadly i have to use CAT internet as its the only option here in the sticks, not any complaints normally BUT

yes somethings going on in the last 4/5 days there is a marked difference........its been crap, pages not loading slow as hell etc etc

[Thai at Heart]

Anonymous are going to have a lot of fun with this.

[sjaak327]

I am a bit confused by the article. The article claims 2 TB of outgoing data, it doesn't state the period though, is that per minute, per hour or per day ? Well it cannot possibly be per day.

[RubbaJohnny]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

Articial products ,relationships

If you google Ladyboy regularly you'll see LOS leads in ladies with a penis

[b4n9]

now, more than 2 weeks, internet access here is total crap.

http://ultraimg.com/image/I6Ym

Thailand will sink in shame.