Thai authorities have blocked 2,300 websites for allegedly
insulting the country's monarchy, with 400 more awaiting a court
order to restrict them, media reports said.

The Economic Times online quoted Information and Communication
(ICT) minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee as saying on January 6 that
"The blocking of websites that disseminate content and pictures
which insult the monarchy is one of the government's crucial
policies".

"We have blocked more than 2,300 websites. We are preparing to ask
for court approval to shut down an additional 400 sites and will
amend the... law to increase powers of ICT officials as soon as
parliament reopens," she said. 

Ranongruk said the ministry had spent THB 45 million (US$1.28
million) to buy equipment for a round-the-clock "war room"
targeting inappropriate web sites.

The ministry would ask the ministries of justice, interior and
defense to "decisively" prosecute violators, who face imprisonment
and a fine for breaking the law, the minister said. 

Defaming the royals in Thailand carries a maximum jail sentence of
15 years but media groups say the law is often used as a political
tool. 

The royal family's role in politics became a sensitive subject last
year amid protests by a group claiming loyalty to the monarchy
which opposed the previous government for being too close to ousted
premier Thaksin Shinawatra. 

A court verdict on December 2 effectively dissolved that
government, paving the way for Abhisit to become premier mid-way
through last month. Parliament is due to reconvene on January 21. 

New Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, however, defended the
crackdown in a recent interview, saying that there were "historical
and cultural differences" with other countries. 

"We will respect the rights, but those rights are exercised within
the same limits that even the most liberal of countries apply,"
Abhisit said in the interview on December 26. 

In a related development, the Thai Netizens Network, composed of
bloggers, online journalists and other Internet users, made an
appeal to the Democrat Party and the new prime minister to respect
the right of Internet users.

In a statement, the group enumerated their requests as follows:

1. The new government led by the Democrat Party...must protect
Internet users' rights and liberty of online and mass media.

2. The government must respect the freedom of expression as
guaranteed by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. The government must do so without prejudice or double
standards, and it must never attempt to silence dissident opinions.

3. The government must amend the Computer Crime Act of B.E. 2550,
especially on distinguishing rights to online communication from
computer crimes. The amendment process should be open to the public
and all other related sectors.

4. The government must protect personal information and privacy by
establishing clear, fair laws and ensuring their just enforcement
in accordance with international covenants.

The Thai Netizens Network said in its statement that "fair
protection of citizens' rights and respect for human dignity are 
crucial to upholding democracy."

On the other hand, it cautioned that "government attempts to
curtail online freedom would lead to more conflict which adversely
affect national security and the well-being of the Thai people."