Thai govt approves 20 billion baht for internet broadband, gateway

[torpedo1970]

I knew it would happen sooner or later.....

I am however surprised how soon....

Seems like the paranoia and loss of face after Anonymous hacked them rattled them.

Seeing this in conjunction with yesterdays news about the governments data center build.....

it can only go one way.....

Anonymous promised more IF Thailand was going for the single gateway.....

Popcorn and soda ready..... (and of course my VPN)

[Surasak]

Obviously the whelk stall isn't doing too well?

[DrTuner]

They'll slip in their spy proxy one way or another, but likely leave enough holes for those with brains to circumvent it.

[thesetat2013]

interesting.

I SMELL SCAM!!! If thailand is using a vegas firm to build 6000+++ server racks... without spending a penny, then why so much in building single gateway? All of a sudden they approve this much money??? Whose family pocket will this money go into? you know, switch AND GOOGLE will not put up with thai polictians and their scams. And im going to get my popcorn ready so i can enjoy the show.

You won't be able to see the show if that single gateway starts. Everything will be censored or blocked that makes Thailand look bad.

[Muhendis]

Single gateway ,nothing to do with economics, all about control.

and I don't foresee any improvement.

regards Worgeordie

The implication of govt. control goes a bit deeper because it will take a finite time to implement this single gateway. The administration has stated that the military will hand over power to a democratically elected government in the not too distant future which looks like 2017 at the moment. Assuming the single gateway is completed before the end of the term of the current administration who, in the next democratically elected government, will be responsible for monitoring/controlling the gateway? If the military remain in control of the country then the answer is "they will". Maybe the military have not told the whole story yet.

[JAG]

Single gateway ,nothing to do with economics, all about control.

and I don't foresee any improvement.

regards Worgeordie

The implication of govt. control goes a bit deeper because it will take a finite time to implement this single gateway. The administration has stated that the military will hand over power to a democratically elected government in the not too distant future which looks like 2017 at the moment. Assuming the single gateway is completed before the end of the term of the current administration who, in the next democratically elected government, will be responsible for monitoring/controlling the gateway? If the military remain in control of the country then the answer is "they will". Maybe the military have not told the whole story yet.

Oh I'm sure that the military have not told story yet about this, or anything in which they have a hand. And that covers just about every field of social and commercial activity in the Kingdom.

Nor do I expect that they will ever tell the whole story!

[TKDfella]

Ha, my only surprise is that this is public info. However, apart from said group(s) making a protest I don't think the general public will do much in way of protest. I spoke to some students who agreed with the original 'whistle blower', now they only shrug their shoulders but I wonder if they realize they won't be able access FB and the like. If something is to be done then it will be left to industries that depend on a complete access...I wonder if the tourists will be told not to bother bringing their internet devices?

[Nicki D]

Deeper and deeper into the hole of ignorance. A curious story of a third world nation struggling hard to downgrade itself.

[Thaidream]

I am surprised they are moving ahead on this project. I have noticed from time to time various delays in accessing the Internet but I do not know if this has anything to do with this project. The Internet is the one thing that should be totally free and without hindrance. I do not know anyone Thai or Non Thai that supports this project. The 21st Century is here and we must have an unfettered exchange of information. If any Nation does not like the press they are getting, they can mount an agressive campaign to refute it. Information flows both ways or it should.

[MaxLee]

Whatever they do in the end they will lose.

They're on the verge to cause incurable Paranoia among hardcore Generation Y netizen and kids.

[Tatertot]

Seems a bit like putting the genie back in the bottle

[GeorgesAbitbol]

They really think people will beliee the shit they say to promote the single gateway

[tartempion]

Yiphee, CAT and TOT are going to make a lot of money again.

[attrayant]

There's always satellite Internet access, which will be easily affordable by anyone engaging in the sort of activity the gubbermint would be interested in monitoring. In other words, the good guys get punished while the bad guys find a way around the system.

http://www.hughesnet.com/

Edited January 20, 2016 by attrayant

[swifty5x5]

Time to leave.

[tuanku]

“Maybe it's you <deleted>," Fred said, "who're seeing the universe backward, like in a mirror. Maybe I see it right.”
― Philip K. Dick

[Sakeopete]

Before Thailand can become an official territory of China it needs to be wired into the Great Firewall not much else to say.

[MaiChai]

1/4 of the budget for the single gateway? That's alot of budget compared to the other 3/4 to get internet to rural areas?

[elgordo38]

Single gateway ,nothing to do with economics, all about control.

and I don't foresee any improvement.

regards Worgeordie

Something harmful is being dressed up as being useful and to make the government look like a generous benefactor. Again they are trying to make it look like doing something for the public good. One has to have a small modem of respect for a ruling government but the last I heard from Uncle Too was that this idea was shelved. Its typical for this government to throw you off guard and then ram something up the middle of well you know what. I have a feeling the new constitution will be a straight jacket for any and all civilian governments cast in stone and never to be tampered with.

[elgordo38]

Hmm this project is something what takes a little time to complete. This indicates no free elections soon and the Junta plans to stay in power for a long period.....

I think your onto something. I think President Xi sent Prayuth a copy of his playbook 101 controlling the masses.

[madox66]

So does somebody knows about a internet satellite access covering Thailand? Maybe I should subscribe before the single gateway because I don't think VPN will work. We need solutions now, maybe TV won't be allowed later.

[everett kendall]

I lived and worked for 11 years in Saudi and know exactly what a SINGLE gateway means. Monitoring you and blocking what they (gov) dont want you to see. There are always ways around this, a bit troublism, but there are and will be ways around.

Businesss will not like it, as it will slow down business. All the traffic going through a funnel, it will be slow.

Let us pray that this does not happen.

You want to make Thailand the digital hub of Southeast Asia, have the government put incentives in place for providers to make it faster and more secure, then will we be the hub.

[sz1a]

Every year, every month the junta takes further steps away from freedom and democracy and towards totalitarianism and censorship. Spending 5 billion on Internet censorship in the year 2016 is wrong. This country is gonna fail. They should be investing in the future, making brighter students, accepting foreign investment, developing technology, science and research. This will force the Thai's to remain consumers of western products instead of being the creators of it. I am not moving back. God I miss 2013 pre-junta Bangkok.

Edited January 20, 2016 by sz1a

[newcomer71]

One more nail on the economy coffin... I wonder how many IT enterprise will be happy to invest in this country...

Someone is choking himself to death slowly.

[bkkcanuck8]

So does somebody knows about a internet satellite access covering Thailand? Maybe I should subscribe before the single gateway because I don't think VPN will work. We need solutions now, maybe TV won't be allowed later.

Satellite connection for VPN access would be pathetic due to latency issues of signals being sent 42,000 km up into space and back down again (total 84,000). Think pathetic response times to North America but about 5+ times worse.

[chakeeoyen]

There's always satellite Internet access, which will be easily affordable by anyone engaging in the sort of activity the gubbermint would be interested in monitoring. In other words, the good guys get punished while the bad guys find a way around the system.

http://www.hughesnet.com/

So hughes will come out to my place in Thailand and get me setup? Yeahhhh...

[bkkcanuck8]

I lived and worked for 11 years in Saudi and know exactly what a SINGLE gateway means. Monitoring you and blocking what they (gov) dont want you to see. There are always ways around this, a bit troublism, but there are and will be ways around.

Businesss will not like it, as it will slow down business. All the traffic going through a funnel, it will be slow.

Let us pray that this does not happen.

You want to make Thailand the digital hub of Southeast Asia, have the government put incentives in place for providers to make it faster and more secure, then will we be the hub.

A 5 billion funnel would be EXTREMELY slow. There are currently 10 different international gateways - each with at least that much in investment.... take that away and replace it with 1/10th.... and that is what you will get. If they want monitoring they should just mandate ISPs install deep packet inspection which can both block or shut a copy of the data to the side for monitoring (hopefully with a proper warrant - checks/balances).

[deckape]

The hackers are going to win anyways.

[attrayant]

There's always satellite Internet access, which will be easily affordable by anyone engaging in the sort of activity the gubbermint would be interested in monitoring. In other words, the good guys get punished while the bad guys find a way around the system.

http://www.hughesnet.com/

So hughes will come out to my place in Thailand and get me setup? Yeahhhh...

No satellite provider makes house calls. They subcontract the work to local installers. Setting up a dish isn't that difficult. You just need to know where to point it. If it's anything like dish tv, the receiver has an on-screen signal strength meter and setup assistant.

[facthailand]

1/4 of the budget for the single gateway? That's alot of budget compared to the other 3/4 to get internet to rural areas?

Gotta have a few baht left for tanks from Ukraine, fighter jets from Russia, submarines from China!