Govt Weighs Emergency Cyber Committee With Censorship Powers

[webfact]

Junta Weighs Emergency Cyber Committee With Censorship Powers

By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter -

   

Original background photo : yohki/ flickr

 

BANGKOK — Citing urgent cyberthreats, a junta-appointed body Monday considered a proposal to create a temporary authority to police online content before supporting legislation is passed.

 

A report prepared by members of the National Reform Steering Assembly indicated that computer and internet systems were in such peril that a proposed body, the National Cybersecurity Committee, must be urgently empaneled by the authority of Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who heads the ruling junta and serves as prime minister.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2016/11/28/junta-weighs-emergency-cyber-committee-censorship-powers/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2016-11-29

[webfact]

NRSA urges PM to act now on cyber security
By PRAPASRI OSATHANON 
THE NATION

 

Prayut encouraged to exercise new special powers.

 

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) yesterday endorsed a report to modify the cyber-security draft bill and proposed the prime minister exercise his special power in accordance the Article 265 of the new charter to take action before the bill becomes law.

Pol Maj-General Pisit Pao-in, the first vice president of the Mass Media Reform Committee and president of the NRSA’s social media reform subcommittee, said the National Cyber Security Committee bill needs to be modified. The bill is still being considered by the Council of State.

The Mass Media Reform Committee proposed setting up an organisation to oversee cyber security in normal and emergency situations and to assign police and military to manage its policies and operations. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30301040

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-11-29

[thai3]

what are these so called 'urgent cyber threats', from where and to what.?

[NongKhaiKid]

1 minute ago, thai3 said:

what are these so called 'urgent cyber threats', from where and to what.?

Cementing control and any old excuse will do.

The urgent cyber threats will never be revealed in the interests of national security of course and not because they don't exist !

[BigBadGeordie]

Urgent action is clearly needed, it appears that the opposition have WMD (Weapons of Media Destruction) ready to destroy the country.

[thai3]

oh I get it, it's face book and you tube and line again, tricky bit of freedom there for the lower orders 

[waldroj]

"...create a temporary authority..."

 

Let the paranoia begin - send in the cybermen !!! 

 

[tifino]

 

Censorship in the region was so much easier in the past;

for example down in Malaysia 20 years ago:

 

Ban and Enforce the Removal of all 'private' satellite dishes

[connda]

VPN and encryption.  Don't post stupid stuff on social media.  Don't do stupid stuff with your computer devices.  You're covered. 

[yellowboat]

It is pretty obvious that Thais will never have checks and balances in their government ever again.  It will be a democracy in name only.  The junta expects its population to respect the law, but they constantly look at ways to ensure that there is NO due process. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

control slowly creeping in. hitler blamed the communists, who is the good general going to blame? ferangs i am guessing.

[sharecropper]

Let's face it, they know soon they're going to have a MASSIVE Internet policing job on their hands. They need all the Fascist draconian tools they can get to keep the country stuck in its gloriously Medieval rut.

[tso310]

I like how they dovetail censorship into a cyber security issue. 

[DavidVincent]

Their current censorship is a big joke...only lock the domain name, not even the mobile version of the websites for some sites, not blocking IP...anyway TOR and vpn are your friends, they still do not understand they won't be able to muzzle the voices of the angry people.

 

[williamgeorgeallen]

from my extensive online investigations in thailand i often come up with a green censored screen when looking stuff up already. thought this was all happening already.

[the guest]

I sense a 'Great firewall of Thailand' coming soon.

[PaulBraveheart]

[JoePai]

22 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

from my extensive online investigations in thailand i often come up with a green censored screen when looking stuff up already. thought this was all happening already.

Sounds like you need a VPN - pdq !

[bark]

2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

control slowly creeping in. hitler blamed the communists, who is the good general going to blame? ferangs i am guessing.

He learned from Castro.

[ujayujay]

VPN is a Solution

[williamgeorgeallen]

37 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Sounds like you need a VPN - pdq !

no the army is just protecting me from looking at stuff which might hurt me. that is what the army is for, protection.

[WhizBang]

18 hours ago, yellowboat said:

It is pretty obvious that Thais will never have checks and balances in their government ever again.  It will be a democracy in name only.  The junta expects its population to respect the law, but they constantly look at ways to ensure that there is NO due process.

 

Ha, not even in name.  The military intend to 'oversee' any elected civilian government far into the foreseeable future.   And that, of course, assumes that we even get to hold sham elections.  Recent comments from Prawit and others seem to be laying the groundwork for delays in the 'roadmap'.

 

I just wonder how much longer Thais will continue to tolerate this suppression of freedoms before the pot boils over?  
 

[jerojero]

 
Ha, not even in name.  The military intend to 'oversee' any elected civilian government far into the foreseeable future.   And that, of course, assumes that we even get to hold sham elections.  Recent comments from Prawit and others seem to be laying the groundwork for delays in the 'roadmap'.
 
I just wonder how much longer Thais will continue to tolerate this suppression of freedoms before the pot boils over?  
 

Will continue until the money runs out to subsidize the millions of rural citizens.

[candide]

"The committee proposed adding more areas to cyber security, rather than only politics and commerce,"

I feel reassured! :)

[dhream]

Zuck looks like he's holding back from bitch slapping this guy. Facebook is NOT their friend.

Edited November 29, 2016 by dhream

[chrisinth]

It is very difficult for me to see a scenario where a personal point of view can create a cyber security emergency situation.

 

On the other hand, it is very clear for me to see the NRSA’s social media reform subcommittee creating a scenario where comments on social media will be forced to use TOR, VPNs and other tools to spread the word to a true global audience instead of the local readers they now have. This, IMO, will lead to an increase to the hardcore and the problems they think they see now will increase dramatically.

 

Totally defeating the implementation of censorship they mean to use with these committees and sub-committees. It will be interesting to see how many of the social media giants bow to these demands as well as the proposed authority to amend content that was reported last week. Especially to sites & boards hosted outside Thailand.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

A thorn by any other name!