Thanks to the allegation made by the Democrat Party, Prachatai has explored the websites, including its own, alleged to have lèse majesté content, and has found that almost none of them websites have anything to do with lèse majesté. Instead, it turns out that most of them are not in favour of the Democrat Party itself.
Thepthai Senpong, Assistant Secretary-General of the Democrat Party, demanded on May 20 that the government and the Minister of Information and Communications Technology take action against 29 websites that his party deemed offensive to the monarchy.
On May 27, Interior Minister Pol Capt Chalerm Yoobamrung said that all but two of the websites had been investigated.
He said the situation was 90% under control, and efforts would be made to gain 100% control over offensive and improper comments. So far he has reached some website owners personally, or the police have made contact. Some websites have adapted or closed, and some have implemented additional measures.
According to the minister, the Interior Ministry has contacted the website owners, explaining to them that even if some comments are posted from abroad, webmasters in Thailand should know at their own discretion whether they are proper or not. Negligence is sufficient for the website owners to be charged with complicity.
Thepthai's Top 5 websites that undermine the monarchy
1. http://www.youtube.com/StopLeseMajeste
‘Stop Lèse majesté', the poster of the video clips, says on the YouTube page that ‘Thailand's lèse majesté law is unjust and undemocratic. No-one should be sent to prison for criticising the Thai king.' Most clips are inaccessible: ‘This video has been removed due to term of use violation.'
Accessibility: some clips accessible, while for the others ‘Access Denied (policy denied)';
Through cache, it claims to belong to ‘October people', or former activist students during 1973-76 in upper northern Thailand.
Accessibility: ‘This page is no longer available.'
3. http://hello-siam.blogspot.com/
Blogger ‘Chao Noi Na Siam' writes that he/she did not approve of the Sept 19 coup in 2006, and, by learning more and more, , ‘has broken free from the deceptive, illusory world.' The content consists mostly of political comments and articles copied from websites including Prachatai and Same Sky, as well as some quotations and references to political history and books.
Accessibility: accessible.
4. http://rukchard.blogspot.com/
Through cache, the blog shared information with and was linked to another Democrat-challenged website http://sapaprachachon.blogspot.com/ (see below). Audio clips of cyber political activist Cheap Chuchai were available for download. The clips contain strong and straightforward commentaries on so-called ‘Sakdina', or Thai feudal system, with a lot of the content being lifted from the banned book ‘The King Never Smiles', in Thai.
Accessibility: The blog is ‘under review due to possible violation against the service provider's terms of use'. The contents have been removed.
5. http://chakridynasty.googlepages.com/
This website contained the entire text of a twenty-year-old underground document, criticizing the monarchy from the beginning of the current dynasty.
Accessibility:
True: redirected to http://58.97.5.29/ict.html which shows only a picture of a mountain view.
TT&T: Access Denied (policy denied)
Buddy: ‘Sorry. The National Police Bureau has blocked this website due to improper pictures or contents deemed obscene or threatening national security.'
...............................
The other 24 websites are alleged by Thepthai to be negligent in allowing comments to be posted by readers that defame other parties including the Privy Council and the Democrat Party, while showing support to Thaksin Shinawatra.
6. http://www.midnightuniv.org/
Midnight University is a group of academics based in Chiang Mai. The website has been online since 2000, and has published over 1,500 academic aticles, transcripts of Midnight University lectures and translations of foreign-language articles. Its web-board allows only registered members to post comments.
The website was shut down by the ICT Ministry from 7 pm on Sept 29, 2006, to 3 pm on Sept 30, 2006. Website editor Somkiart Tangnamo, also a lecturer at the Fine Arts Faculty of Chiang Mai University, filed a lawsuit against the ICT Ministry at the Administrative Court for unlawful closure, and won.
Accessibility: accessible
7. http://www.sameskybooks.org/
This belongs to Fah Diew Kan (Same Sky) publishing house which produces an eponymous quarterly socio-political magazine. The website contains some content from the magazine, blogs by columnists and articles. Its web-board has been notorious for open discussions on the monarchy.
On Jan 4, 2008, the website was abruptly denied further hosting service from its domestic host, claiming it had lèse majesté contents. (See Fah Diew Kan website shut down; lèse majesté alleged) The website, however, has moved to a hosting service abroad instead.
Accessibility:
TRUE, TT&T and Buddy: accessible
TOT: inaccessible; ‘Sorry for the inconvenience. The website you are trying to access contains inappropriate pictures and contents. For further information, contact Information and Communications Technology Ministry, Building 9, TOT Plc Ltd, Changwattana Rd, Laksi, Bangkok 10210. Tel 0-2505-7147, 0-2568-2498'.
8. http://www.prachatai.com/05/th/home
Founded by social activist and former senator Jon Ungphakorn, Prachatai online newspaper was launched on Sept 6, 2004. It now consists of a news section, columns, web-board, and online radio and TV programmes.
On the night of May 14, some TOT internet users were unable to access the website, seeing instead the message, ‘Sorry for the inconvenience. The website you are trying to access contains inappropriate pictures and contents. For further information, contact Information and Communications Technology Ministry, Building 9, TOT Plc Ltd, Changwattana Rd, Laksi, Bangkok 10210. Tel 0-2505-7147, 0-2568-2498'.
See ICT and TOT deny blocking Prachatai, saying possibly a technical error.
Accessibility: accessible
9. http://www.newskythailand.com/
The website was recently launched on March 6, 2008. Its owner, New Sky Club, claims to consist of people from various walks of life, who are committed to Democracy and wish to see the country moving ahead along a democratic path. They have clarified that the website has nothing to do with the Hi-Thaksin website which has recently shut itself down, and the members are not involved with any pro-Thaksin groups. It provides live radio and TV broadcasts of public forums and events, as well as a web-board and a chat room.
Accessibility: accessible
The website belongs to political activist Chupong Teetuan, former core member of the anti-coup, pro-Thaksin Nor Por Kor group. It provides online radio and TV programmes and a chat room.
Accessibility: accessible
11. http://sapaprachachon.blogspot.com/
Through cache, it claims no involvement with any political parties or interest groups. It provided online radio programmes and a chat room.
Accessibility: ‘This blog has been removed.'
12. http://www.pcc-thai.com/ or http://www.prachachonthai.com/
Registered on November 20, 2007, it contains news reports and articles from other websites, and a section of its web-board is dedicated to conversations with Pracha Prasopdee, Peoples Power Party MP, who has been active in mobilizing protests against the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallies.
Accessibility: accessible
13. http://www.datopido.newsit.es/
A pro-Thaksin website by a vociferous public speaker Daranee Charncherngsilapakul, aka Da Torpedo, hosts her own online radio programme, as well as many other online radio stations included in this list.
Accessibility: accessible
Registered on November 10, 2007, it is another pro-Thaksin, anti-PAD website.
Accessibility: accessible
15. http://www.Sapaprachachon.org/index.thml
Through cache, the contents and format were similar to http://www.sapaprachachon.blogspot.com/.
Accessibility:
TRUE, TT&T and Buddy: redirected to http://58.97.5.29/ with the message, ‘This website contains lèse majesté or inappropriate contents; therefore, it is temporarily suspended until further orders.'
16. http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p73/nicolejung99/?
This contains a collection of Thai comic strips that lampoon the coup, the PAD, the Democrat Party, some media groups, and the Privy Council.
Accessibility: accessible
17. http://www.weloveudon.net/
Launched on Feb 23, 2008, it contains local news and information in northeastern Udon Thani province, as well as news and articles from other websites. It hosts an online community radio programme, and also features an audio clip of Thaksin Shinawatra phoning in to the programme on March 13.
Accessibility: accessible
18. http://www.mvnews.net/home.php
This is an online TV website, which also claims to broadcast its programmes via a local cable TV station and a satellite mvnews TV station. The programmes include political talk shows and taped public forums.
Accessibility: accessible
Registered on May 22, 2007, this is a website of pro-Thaksin Taxi Radio FM 92.75.
Accessibility: accessible
20. http://www.thaipeoplevoice.org/
Registered on Aug 25, 2007, it is yet another online radio website which also contains links to all other pro-Thaksin websites.
Accessibility: accessible
21. http://www.nationsiam.com/frontpage/Itemid,1/
Registered on Sept 3, 2007, it contains news and articles which criticize the PAD, the coup and the junta-installed government of Gen Surayud.
Accessibility: accessible
Registered on Sept 22, 2007, this belongs to a group called ‘Arayachon', or civilized people, who identify themselves as ‘white-collar' people who are interested in political, economic, cultural and social issues. They claim to conduct alternative research, and present findings and suggestions to Thai society. They believe in ‘Democracy, Reform and Solidarity'. The website contains contributions from their members, and articles from other sources. Its latest editorial on May 3 expresses opposition to exploiting the monarchy to cause disunity in the country.
Accessibility: accessible
23. http://www.siamreview.net/
This is an online version of Siam Parithat (Review) magazine which was launched in October 2006, and also a website of the anti-coup June 24 group, whose name refers to the revolution that overthrew the Absolute Monarchy in 1932. The magazine provides analyses and criticisms of the military dictatorship and ‘traditional political powers'.
Accessibility: accessible
24. http://www.warotah.blogspot.com/
This is a personal blog by an alias ‘Warotah', who has been active in political web-boards including Prachatai's. His/her first posting on the blog is dated March 19, 2007. The blog contains the blogger's articles and poems which are critical of the coup, media, the Democrat Party and the elite.
Accessibility: accessible
25. http://www.killerpress.wordpress.com/
The first post in this blog was in March 2007. It strongly criticizes the coup, the Democrat Party and some media.
Accessibility: accessible
26. http://www.gunner2007.wordpress.com/
The contents have been removed, and there is no google cache.
Accessibility: ‘The authors have deleted this blog. The content is no longer available.'
27. http://www.tlt-global.com/web/
Registered on Sept 22, 2006 by a group called Thai Rak Prathet Thai in the US, it condemns the coup for seizing power from the people, destroying democracy, and exploiting the monarchy. It contains political news and articles.
Accessibility: accessible
28. http://thai-journalist-democratic-front.com/
This is run by reporter Thaweewuth Chulawajjana and friends to oppose the undemocratic regime and protect Democracy.
Accessibility: accessible
29. http://www.secondclass111.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Registered on Nov 19, 2007, Second Class 111 refers to 111 former executives of the Thai Rak Thai Party, whose political rights have been stripped for 5 years along with the dissolution of the party, as ruled by the junta-installed Constitution Tribunal after the coup. The homepage features activities of former Thai Rak Thai key figures.
Accessibility: accessible
Related news:
Two websites illegally blocked; twenty nine banned for discussion on monarchy
ICT Minister assures ISPs - no punishment for blocking offensive websites
Websites under police scrutiny: Content deemed to be critical of monarchy
ICT and TOT deny blocking Prachatai, saying possibly a technical error
‘Prachatai' website is made inaccessible in several areas
Same Sky Books and Prachatai websites charged for allowing comments about Chotisak's ‘not standing'
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