BANGKOK, Thailand – The Thai government is planning to build a country-wide firewall that will block anti-royal family websites. Communications Minister Mun Patanotai said he and the Information Ministry is prepared to spend $2.9 to $14.6 million dollars (USD) to setup the digital firewall to prevent people in Thailand from accessing the controversial websites.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Slandering the Thai Royal family is a grave crime in Thailand and perpetrators can be jailed up to 15 years. However, actual prosecution of this crime is relatively rare.
Internet censorship already exists in Thailand. The Thai government passed theComputer Crime Act last year, which gave Thail police a legal basis for enforcing censorship of the Internet and provides penalties for attempting to circumvent it. However, most of the recent criticisms of the Thail royal family are from websites from abroad.
A BBC Bangkok correspondent thinks that the government mandated firewall is politically motivated. The government has come under pressure from the military to stop the “defamation” of the royal family.
Due to the recent political crises, which split Thailand into two divided political camps, the normally a-political Thai Royal family has come under criticism for what some see as political motives. Queen Sirikit presided over a protester’s funeral that died in a rally three weeks ago. Many supporters of the opposition party see Queen Sirikit’s attendance as a sign of sympathy for anti-government protestors.
Prime Minister, Somachi Wongsawat, said that the monarchy should remain a-political and accused the opposition party for using the monarchy for political means. “The government, officials, military, police, and every Thai must all uphold the monarchy,” Somachi told reporters. “No faction should use the monarchy.”
For more information, please see:
Asia One –Anti-Royal Websites to be Blocked – 28 October 2008
BBC – Thai Block Anti-Royal Websites – 28 October 2008
CNN – Thailand Plans to Block Anti-Royal Websites – 28 October 2008
