Internet Politics in Thailand after the 2006 Coup
91
are increasingly installing fi ltering software on their systems, using a keyword or
groups of keywords as criteria. Filtering criteria depend mainly on the policy of each
organization, but the types of content offenses provided in the computer crime law
are usually included.
Internet service providers also administer surveillance on interactive Web sites like
online discussion forums and chat rooms that have registered IP addresses under their
networks. For instance, CAT Telecom, a major ISP, administers this content-monitoring
scheme through an in-house unit called Internet Data Center (IDC). An IDC staff
member will periodically examine exchanges in online discussion forums, particularly
political forums. If l è se-majest é content is found, IDC will inform the moderators of
the particular online forum and give them 30 minutes to remove the content. If the
content is not deleted within that time, CAT Telecom will block access to the IP address
that hosts the online discussion forum.
As for operators of online discussion forums themselves, a 24-hour monitor of
postings on the forum has been in place since the law came into force. While moderators of such forums make it part of their daily routine to remove illegal or harmful
content, most feel reluctant and view the new law with much apprehension. The Web
moderator of Prachatai ( http://www.prachataiwebboard.com ), Chiranuch Premchaiporn, who is now awaiting trial on intermediary liability charges fi led under this
law, described the main effect of the law being “ a transfer of censorship from state
agencies to webmaster, with the law as choker. ”
27 The late Somkiat Tangnamo,
28 webmaster of http://www.midnightuniv.org , admitted that he self-censored on l è se-majest é
to an unprecedented level during the Abhisit government ’ s rule. Evidently, selfcensorship has become the prevalent practice for moderators of online forums, particularly politically oriented ones. See table 5.3 for a summary of such self-censorship/
regulation practices during the post-coup period.
Although there has not yet been a study to examine online citizen reporters and
their reaction to Internet fi ltering, related research shows that bloggers engaged in
citizen journalism regulate content through codes of practice. In the case of OK
Nation Blog, a popular journalistic blog, member bloggers develop their own sets
of codes and practices, which closely observe provisions in the computer crime law
and related laws like l è se-majest é .
29 In effect, legal provisions are incorporated into
citizen reporters ’ codes and thereby become a framework for the self-regulation of
bloggers.
The Emergency Decree on Government Administration in State of Emergency B.E. 2548
(2005) and the Internal Security Act B.E. 2551 (2007)
The Emergency Decree was passed in 2005 during the Thaksin administration, with
the main objective of quelling the endemic insurgency in Southern Thailand. The
91
are increasingly installing fi ltering software on their systems, using a keyword or
groups of keywords as criteria. Filtering criteria depend mainly on the policy of each
organization, but the types of content offenses provided in the computer crime law
are usually included.
Internet service providers also administer surveillance on interactive Web sites like
online discussion forums and chat rooms that have registered IP addresses under their
networks. For instance, CAT Telecom, a major ISP, administers this content-monitoring
scheme through an in-house unit called Internet Data Center (IDC). An IDC staff
member will periodically examine exchanges in online discussion forums, particularly
political forums. If l è se-majest é content is found, IDC will inform the moderators of
the particular online forum and give them 30 minutes to remove the content. If the
content is not deleted within that time, CAT Telecom will block access to the IP address
that hosts the online discussion forum.
As for operators of online discussion forums themselves, a 24-hour monitor of
postings on the forum has been in place since the law came into force. While moderators of such forums make it part of their daily routine to remove illegal or harmful
content, most feel reluctant and view the new law with much apprehension. The Web
moderator of Prachatai ( http://www.prachataiwebboard.com ), Chiranuch Premchaiporn, who is now awaiting trial on intermediary liability charges fi led under this
law, described the main effect of the law being “ a transfer of censorship from state
agencies to webmaster, with the law as choker. ”
27 The late Somkiat Tangnamo,
28 webmaster of http://www.midnightuniv.org , admitted that he self-censored on l è se-majest é
to an unprecedented level during the Abhisit government ’ s rule. Evidently, selfcensorship has become the prevalent practice for moderators of online forums, particularly politically oriented ones. See table 5.3 for a summary of such self-censorship/
regulation practices during the post-coup period.
Although there has not yet been a study to examine online citizen reporters and
their reaction to Internet fi ltering, related research shows that bloggers engaged in
citizen journalism regulate content through codes of practice. In the case of OK
Nation Blog, a popular journalistic blog, member bloggers develop their own sets
of codes and practices, which closely observe provisions in the computer crime law
and related laws like l è se-majest é .
29 In effect, legal provisions are incorporated into
citizen reporters ’ codes and thereby become a framework for the self-regulation of
bloggers.
The Emergency Decree on Government Administration in State of Emergency B.E. 2548
(2005) and the Internal Security Act B.E. 2551 (2007)
The Emergency Decree was passed in 2005 during the Thaksin administration, with
the main objective of quelling the endemic insurgency in Southern Thailand. The