FACTback – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (Backup)

How to unblock your website in Thailand

[Note: The ICT ministry has just moved offices on May 11. All of these phone numbers have changed. We shall keep the numbers in this article updated as we verify them. Please check back.]

We have never before been privy to the mechanism of censorship in Thailand. If your website is blocked, here are some steps to follow.

Chances are, your website has been blocked by order of the Royal Thai Police High-Tech Crimes Centre. First contact HTCC’s chief, Yanaphon Yungyuen 02-913-6699 <htcc@police.go.th> and <yanaphon@dsi.go.th>. Your primary questions here are when and why your site was blocked.

The order to block a website then passes to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology’s IT Regulation Bureau. The Bureau’s chief is Aree Jivorarak 02-505-6213 <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>. Aree actually sends the blocklists to the ISPs.

Under the requirements of the Computer Crimes Act 2007, there must be a court order to block a website, unless government has declared martial law or is under the provisions of an emergency decree issued by the prime minister. Therefore, you may request a copy of this court order and the reasons for blocking. Court orders must be public. Be polite but firm. Remember, these are civil servants and you pay for their kids’ school and wife’s hair perm–you are the boss here.

If Khun Aree is unresponsive, his superior is Deputy Permanent Secretary Angsuman Sunarai <angsumal@mictmail.go.th>

02-505-0588. If the deputy permanent secretary does not offer you satisfaction, his superior at MICT is Su Lo-utai, Permanent Secretary 02-568-2521 <sue.l@mict.mail.go.th>. If you still have no success with the permanent secretary, you must appeal directly to the ICT Minister, Ranongruk Suwanachee <bowbo43@gmail.com> tel. 02-505-8888, 02-505-7370

The Ministry also has a handy complaint form for you to fill out: http://www.mict.go.th/main.php?filename=index_complaint

Internet censorship is only made possible with the cooperation of Thailand’s more than 100 ISPs. Your business is important to your ISP. Remember that many of the ISPs are publicly traded companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET); some are even subsidiaries of foreign companies trading on international stock exchanges. They will be inclined toward not offending their shareholders if you start to make a fuss. Use this as leverage when dealing with them. You only need buy a single share to be a shareholder; this is your ticket to ISPs’ annual general meetings to fight censorship policy. Private companies are also more easily sued for damages than government.

Always talk to the top person, someone who is capable of making decisions. CEOs and executive vice-presidents. Hassling office workers makes them feel bad because they can’t help, are afraid of losing their jobs, and a waste of your time. you pay these people’s salaries with your custom so remember who is in charge. Use these phone calls for patient education and consciousness-raising.

You will notice that some of the ISP censors are mobile telephone services, which provide access to GPRS and WiFi. Mobile phone companies are even more responsive than ISPs to losing your business.

Every ISP also has a helpdesk or other phone contact for technical support. Open a complaint with them, too. If your ISP is a university or other academic institution, call its computer centre and talk to the administrators.

Follows a list of the contacts MICT uses at each ISP to effect blocking. Your ISP should have a copy of the court order blocking your website to ensure it is acting legally, know the reasons for the block, and be able to tell you the exact date and time of MICT’s order and the precise date and time the ISP blocked.

101 Global Co. Ltd. <support@101g.com>;

Advanced Datanetwork Communications [Buddy Broadband] <noc@adc.co.th>, <ktnrg@adc.co.th>, <nattapong@adc.co.th>, top kab <top.kab@hotmail.com>;

Advanced Info Service [AIS] <naruepoi@ais.co.th>, <krits@ais.co.th>;

Alltelecom Co. <cindy@alltelecom.co.th>, <BIOICE1981@hotmail.com>, <nocworldweb@hotmail.com>;

ANET Internet <psanti@anet.net.th>, <system@anet.net.th>, <uaichai@anet.net.th>, <premchai@anet.net.th>;

BB Broadband Co. Ltd. [Beenet Broadband Internet] <apinan_k@beenets.com>;

CAT Telecom (CAT Public Co. Ltd., CAT Internet Data Center) “kittipong m” <kittipong.m@cattelecom.com>, <admin-thix@cat.net.th>, <schaka@cat.net.th>, varin c <varin.c@cattelecom.com>, <noc@cat.net.th>, <bkriengsak@cat.net.th>, <suchok@cat.net.th>, <suchok@bulbul.cat.net.th>, suttiporn y <suttiporn.y@cattelecom.com>, wasan s <wasan.s@cattelecom.com>, <support@idc.cattelecom.com>;

CS Loxinfo <webblacklist@csloxinfo.net>, <phup@csloxinfo.net>;

Far East Internet Co. Ltd. <admin@fareast.net.th>, <surasak@fareast.net.th>;

Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia Ltd. [formerly Tawan Mobile Telephone Co.] <sariya.s@hcwml.com>, rommuk p <rommuk.p@hcwml.com>;

Infonet Thailand <sarayuth@infonetthailand.com>;

Internet Thailand <chakrit@inet.co.th>, <noc@inet.co.th>;

Inter University Network [UniNet--are these the people responsible for the censorship at Kasetsart University, Mahidol University and others?] <noc@uni.net.th>;

ISP-Thailand (Internet Solution & Service Provider Co. Ltd.) <thaweesak@isp-thailand.com>, <support@isp-thailand.com>, <csupport@isp-thailand.com>, admin issp <admin_issp@isp-thailand.com>, <helpdesk@isp-thailand.com>, <chatree@isp-thailand.com>, <EAK@ISP-THAILAND.COM>;

IT.co.th <kung@it.co.th>;

Jasmine International Net [JI-net] (Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd.) <sathinut@ji-net.com>, <boonma1222@yahoo.com>, <nprattha@jasmine.com>, <noc@ji-net.com>, <taewa.k@jasmine.com>, duangjai s <duangjai.s@jasmine.com>, jirawan c <jirawan.c@jasmine.com>, Nongluck p <Nongluck.p@jasmine.com>, <tsutee@jasmine.com>, <uraiporn.s@jasmine.com>, <mubooh@gmail.com>;

Kirz Communications <thana@kirz.com>, <sarayut@kirz.com>;

KSC Commercial Internet <ictcensor@ksc.net>;

Milcom Systems [WLANNet] <patcharabuls@milcom.co.th>, <tomesiam@hotmail.com>;

NTT Communications (Thailand) Co. Ltd. <channira.no@ntt.co.th>, <kalant@ntt.co.th>, <uthai@ntt.co.th>, <jaroonchai@ntt.co.th>;

Otaro Internet [you may remember they were the first company to delete the website of Same Sky Books/Fah Diew Kan] <noc@otaro.com>;

Pacnet Thailand <noc@pacific.net.th>, <noc.th@pacnet.com>, neeyada sirisampandh <neeyada.sirisampandh@pacnet.com>;

Proen Internet <noc@proen.co.th>, <suvinit@proen.co.th>, <mars2551@yahoo.com>;

Samart Infonet Co. Ltd. [Samtel] prasitchai v <prasitchai.v@samtel.samartcorp.com>, <se@samart.co.th>;

SIPphone Unlimited Communication <info@sipphone.co.th>;

Telephone Organisation of Thailand [TOT] Public Co. Ltd. (TOT ISP, TOT International Gateway) <boonmak@tot.co.th>, <totnoc@tot.co.th>, <noc@totisp.net>, <blockweb@totisp.net>, sittiraj tot <sittiraj.tot@gmail.com>, <noc@totiig.net>;

Total Access [DTAC] <Parinyar@dtac.co.th>;

True Internet ictcensor@trueinternet.co.th, network@trueinternet.co.th, watanyu chu <watanyu_chu@trueinternet.co.th>, Surparsorn Run <Surparsorn_Run@truecorp.co.th>;

TT&T Public Co. Ltd. [Maxnet] narits ss <narits_ss@ttt.co.th>, ekkarachu ss <ekkarachu_ss@ttt.co.th>, surachaiji ss <surachaiji_ss@ttt.co.th>, <matisa@ttt.co.th>, issn ss <issn_ss@ttt.co.th>, <ict@tttmaxnet.com>;

Upload Today, True Corporation Public Co. Ltd. <info@uploadtoday.com>,

World Internetwork Co. Ltd. [INTERNET Thai] <support@internetthai.com>;

Be patient–jai yen yen! But be persistent. Expect this process to take some time.

FIGHT BACK! Take back the power! Freedom NOW!

Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

http://facthai.wordpress.com

Follows my email to MICT below, updates in brackets. FACT readers will find my questions and suggestions eminently sensible, reasonable and non-confrontational. MICT is not the enemy.

What is the enemy is the concept adopted by Thai government that censorship serves the public good. Censorship does not create good citizens, a thinking, questioning public. Quite the opposite.

Censorship tells Thai people “You’re too stupid to look at this. Let us do your thinking for you.”

There can never be real democracy in Thailand under the shadow of government censorship.

———————————————————————————————

Most of my earlier questions have been resolved by the ISPs themselves so there is no need for you to reply to my last email. However, more concerns and questions have come to my attention.

Have you yourself looked at FACT’s website? If so, you can see that our goals are not at odds with MICT’s.

One can readily see that FACT is completely non-partisan and non-political. All we try to do is raise public awareness of censorship issues worldwide and in Thailand but viewed from the Thai context, making things better for everyone in a truly democratic society.

Unlike many Thai websites, FACT has never been anonymous. I am the registered owner of FACT’s website. Accordingly, it would far better serve both citizens and government were MICT to request websites, including mine, to simply remove illegal content first, rather than immediately blocking or, worse, arresting website owners. A lot of these problems could be solved by prompt discussion between government and citizens.

I am scrupulously careful not to host or post illegal content or comments, including lese majeste. However, in two and a half years, I have only had to edit three comments and one post! [Obviously, the problem of illegal opinion is not as severe as government would have us believe!] FACT does not promote censored content but simply defends citizens’ rights to express their opinions.

I can accept that there may be a need for some level of censorship. But Internet censorship always overblocks. The censorship of FACT’s website is a perfect example.

FACT wants to encourage transparency and accountability in the censorship process. Censorship should not be kept secret because, for one thing, this makes censored information far more attractive.

One of FACT’s goals is publication of Thailand’s blocklists of banned websites. Were this to happen, I think initially a lot of people would try to access these sites out of curiosity not out of malice. But that initial curiosity would die down quickly and Thailand would take the moral high ground with transparency in government, a novel concept!

MICT should redirect Internet users trying to access a blocked website to a blockpage telling the user who ordered the blocking, why the site is blocked and containing clear and easy instructions for requesting unblocking, anonymously so citizens don’t feel threatened with repercussions. After all, if MICT thinks it’s doing the right thing, a public service, by censorship, it should be open about it.

FACT’s goal was not merely to have MICT unblock our website. The goal is to understand the whole process of Internet censorship.

I have some pertinent questions regarding Internet censorship in Thailand.

1) Do the block orders always come from the Police High-Tech Crimes Centre or does MICT also compile its own lists?

2) Why do the Police not send the block orders to ISPs themselves but forward them to MICT to send to the ISPs?

3) In fact, why does MICT involve the ISPs at all? Why does MICT not order direct blocking at the international Internet gateways?

4) Are the block emails from MICT to the ISPs, government to private companies, official documents, even though they are sent from free, cloudmail services like Yahoo or Hotmail? Are they secret or confidential? (See 9 below).

5) Does MICT review the block orders from Police before sending them to ISPs to ensure that all sites really contain illegal content? This is a crucial point which MICT should implement. If this were done, FACT’s website would never have been blocked.

6) Will you please tell me the precise dates and times of the recent Emergency Decree? If FACT’s website was blocked under the Decree, MICT did not need to seek a court order under the Computer Crimes Act.

7) Why does MICT not make the court orders public, removing the list of blocked websites, if they desire?

8) May an Internet user contact MICT to inquire if a website is blocked?

9) Lastly, why do Thai government email addresses never function? There was some talk of government banning civil servants using cloud email but almost everyone in government uses Hotmail or Yahoo (even to send out block orders, which is extremely insecure, to say the least!) I think MICT might make it a goal making government computers, servers and email actually work.

I have opposed Internet censorship in Thailand since 1997 when the first such law was proposed by Dr. Charmonman Srisakdi. The proposal was quietly dropped.

[UPDATE: Dr. Charmonman did not come up with this idea on his own. He was advised by an international charity, ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) <http://www.ecpat.net/EI/index.asp>, which raised the spectre of child pornography on the Internet. ECPAT, of course, owes its budget to the public purse and support of governments in many countries.

At this time, there was much media discussion over the trafficking of women and children, underage prostitution and the sale of Thai village girls, particularly in the North, to brothels.

Economist and former senator Mechai Viravaidya, “The Condom King”, singlehandedly and at great personal risk in stratified Thai society, taught AIDS awareness to sex workers and their customers in Thailand.

The practical result was that poor farmers became aware of the dangers to their daughters and the waiting “AIDS explosion” never materialised here.

Dr. Charmonman styles himself the “Father of the Thai Internet”. FACT readers will enjoy his homepages at <http://www.charm.au.edu/index.htm>, especially the photos of his home <http://www.charm.au.edu/PhotoRes/picture.asp>.]

I am making MICT an offer. I would like to consult with MICT officially to develop a process by which Internet users could request unblocking of MICT. I would also be eager to help MICT make the censorship process more equitable and transparent to serve everyone’s best interests.

Please forward me a copy of the email MICT sent to the ISPs to order UNblocking of FACT’s website.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Best wishes,

CJ Hinke

087-976-1880

How Thailand Censors the Internet

No. 72  – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

The details of FACT’s website censorship have finally become clear as Thai ISPs have provided FACT with concrete data, including the email requests from both Royal Thai Police and the ICT Ministry. This is the Thai public’s first real look at the implementation of Internet censorship in Thailand which is usually accomplished by  government-in-secret.

On April 22, 2009 at 16:45:47 from IP address 124.108.115.147 (ESMTP id 25FD7274C64F) email was sent from the Royal Thai Police High-Tech Crime Center <htcc@police.go.th> to Aree Jivorarak, Chief of MICT’s IT Regulation Bureau <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>. It is certain that a blocklist of banned websites was attached to this email.

On April 23, 2009 06:49:43 Aree forwarded the Police email to 94 ICT contacts at 38 of Thailand’s more than 100 ISPs and mobile telephone providers–CAT Telecom, Pacnet Thailand, ISP-Thailand, Internet Thailand, Advanced Datanetwork Communications [Buddy Broadband], KSC Commercial Internet, True Internet, CS Loxinfo, Telephone Organisation of Thailand [TOT] Public Co. Ltd., Jasmine International Net [JI-net], ANET Internet, Far East Internet Co. Ltd., Milcom Systems [WLANNet], World Internetwork Co. Ltd. [INTERNET Thai], Otaro [you may remember they were the first company to delete the website of Same Sky Books/Fah Diew Kan], 101 Global Co. Ltd., Kirz Communications, TT&T Public Co. Ltd. [Maxnet], Proen Internet, Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd., IT.co.th, Infonet Thailand, Inter University Network [UniNet--are these the people responsible for the censorship at Kasetsart University, Mahidol University and others?], Alltelecom Co., SIPphone Unlimited Communication, TOT ISP, TOT International Gateway, Internet Solution & Service Provider Co. Ltd. [ISP-Thailand], NTT Communications (Thailand) Co., Ltd., BB Broadband Co. Ltd. [Beenet Broadband Internet], CAT Public Co. Ltd., Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia Ltd. [formerly Tawan Mobile Telephone Co.], Upload Today, True Corporation Public Co. Ltd., Samart Infonet Co. Ltd. [Samtel], Total Access [DTAC], Advanced Info Service [AIS], CAT Internet Data Center–with a the subject “ส่งต่อ: ขอส่งรายชื่อเว็บไซต์ที่มีผลกระทบต่อความมั่นคง”  (” Fwd: We send a list of sites that affect security”). The email’s message was ”เรียนผู้ isp และผู้เกี่ยวข้อง เพื่อโปรดดำเนินการ อารีย์ จิวรรักษ์ ”  (“to ISPs and whom it may concern to take action”) followed by ”หมายเหตุ: แนบจดหมายที่จะส่งต่อแล้ว” (“Remarks: Forwarded mail attached”) which is obviously the original Police email. (Full details below.) This message may well have been truncated before it was sent to FACT. Why did Aree send this email before seven a.m.? To take advantage of the government’s Emergency Decree?

Although FACT was not made privy to the ICT Ministry’s blocklist itself, as FACT’s website started to be blocked by some ISPs around noon April 25, 2009 and diverted to MICT’s blockpage at http://w3.mict.go.th, it is safe to assume we were on it!

Further information from another ISP states that FACT’s website was included on the list of 71-plus alleged “Red-shirt” websites blocked.

Of course, FACT is not a Red-shirt (nor any-shirt) front nor do we play partisan politics. One can readily see how easily any website can be swept up by government paranoia. This is the first time FACT’s website has been blocked since our inception on November 15, 2006. We are proud to join the ranks of our colleagues at Midnight University, Sept19,org, Same Sky and Prachatai; we wear our censorship as a badge of honour.

FACT will defend anyone censored in Thailand because the public has a basic human right to freedom of information. We will continue to expose secret censorship in Thailand and provide circumvention strategies and software to enable Internet users to ignore the censorship.

When these 71-plus websites were unblocked by MICT on April 26, why was FACT not included in the list? FACT was finally unblocked by at least one ISP by request of MICT at 01:29 on April 28, 2009. We have yet to receive of copy of MICT’s email to ISPs or order FACT unblocked but we know there to be one.

The email exchange also raises further interesting questions. Who surfs the Internet looking for illegal content? Does Internet censorship always start with the Police or are there censors in other agencies such as the ICT ministry and Ministry of Culture? How many people are employed to censor?

This gives a real glimpse into the shadowy, clandestine world of censorship in Thailand. And it shows that F/freedom is under police scrutiny in Thailand.

Nothing has changed at Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT). We didn’t change, edit, alter or deleted any information, postings or comments on our website before, during or after MICT’s censorship.

So why did they censor FACT in the first place and why did they unblock us so rapidly?

The Prime Minister’s Emergency Decree was in effect April 12 – April 23, so it would appear that legally MICT was not required to seek a court order for blocking under the provisions of the Computer Crimes Act 2007 as normal laws were suspended. For those FACT supporters who were hoping FACT would be the first to challenge MICT in court over Internet censorship, it appears MICT acted legally. We’re saving that fight for next time!

The moral of this story: FIGHT BACK! Take back the power! Freedom NOW!

This has been an interesting and valuable exercise because now we know who the censors are and how they operate. If your website in blocked, notify FACT, call all media you can think of (FACT will help with this) and get in touch with MICT at 02-505-6213 <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th> to request immediate unblocking.

Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

http://facthai.wordpress.com

—– Forwarded Message —–

From: aree jivorarak <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>

To: kittipong m <kittipong.m@cattelecom.com>, admin-thix@cat.net.th, schaka@cat.net.th, varin c <varin.c@cattelecom.com>, noc@pacific.net.th, thaweesak@isp-thailand.com, support@isp-thailand.com, csupport@isp-thailand.com, noc@adc.co.th, ktnrg@adc.co.th, nattapong@adc.co.th, top kab <top.kab@hotmail.com>, noc@cat.net.th, noc th <noc.th@pacnet.com>, chakrit@inet.co.th, noc@inet.co.th, ictcensor@ksc.net, ictcensor@trueinternet.co.th, webblacklist@csloxinfo.net, network@trueinternet.co.th, watanyu chu <watanyu_chu@trueinternet.co.th>, boonmak@tot.co.th, sathinut@ji-net.com, boonma1222@yahoo.com, nprattha@jasmine.com, noc@ji-net.com, psanti@anet.net.th, system@anet.net.th, admin@fareast.net.th, surasak@fareast.net.th, patcharabuls@milcom.co.th, tomesiam@hotmail.com, support@internetthai.com, noc@otaro.com, support@101g.com, thana@kirz.com, narits ss <narits_ss@ttt.co.th>, ekkarachu ss <ekkarachu_ss@ttt.co.th>, noc@proen.co.th, taewa k <taewa.k@jasmine.com>, kung@it.co.th, sarayuth@infonetthailand.com, noc@uni.net.th, cindy@alltelecom.co.th, BIOICE1981@hotmail.com, nocworldweb@hotmail.com, info@sipphone.co.th, noc@totisp.net, blockweb@totisp.net, sittiraj tot <sittiraj.tot@gmail.com>, neeyada sirisampandh <neeyada.sirisampandh@pacnet.com>, duangjai s <duangjai.s@jasmine.com>, noc@totiig.net, bkriengsak@cat.net.th, chaiwat@isp-thailand.com, admin issp <admin_issp@isp-thailand.com>, surachaiji ss <surachaiji_ss@ttt.co.th>, matisa@ttt.co.th, issn ss <issn_ss@ttt.co.th>, totnoc@tot.co.th, sarayut@kirz.com, channira no <channira.no@ntt.co.th>, apinan k <apinan_k@beenets.com>, suchok@cat.net.th, suchok@bulbul.cat.net.th, helpdesk@isp-thailand.com, suttiporn y <suttiporn.y@cattelecom.com>, wasan s <wasan.s@cattelecom.com>, chatree@isp-thailand.com, sariya s <sariya.s@hcwml.com>, rommuk p <rommuk.p@hcwml.com>, jirawan c <jirawan.c@jasmine.com>, info@uploadtoday.com, Surparsorn Run <EAK@ISP-THAILAND.COM, ict@tttmaxnet.com, Nongluck p <Nongluck.p@jasmine.com>, prasitchai v <prasitchai.v@samtel.samartcorp.com>, se@samart.co.th, tsutee@jasmine.com, suvinit@proen.co.th, mars2551@yahoo.com, kalant@ntt.co.th, uthai@ntt.co.th, jaroonchai@ntt.co.th, uaichai@anet.net.th, Parinyar@dtac.co.th, uraiporn s <uraiporn.s@jasmine.com>, mubooh@gmail.com, naruepoi@ais.co.th, krits@ais.co.th, premchai@anet.net.th, support@idc.cattelecom.com, phup@csloxinfo.net, aree mict <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>

Sent: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:49:43 +0700 (ICT)

Subject: ส่งต่อ: ขอส่งรายชื่อเว็บไซต์ที่มีผลกระทบต่อความมั่นคง

เรียนผู้ isp และผู้เกี่ยวข้อง เพื่อโปรดดำเนินการ

อารีย์ จิวรรักษ์

หมายเหตุ: แนบจดหมายที่จะส่งต่อแล้ว

______________________________________________

Details of original Royal Thai Police email to MICT:

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FACT blocked in Cambodia!

I live in Bangkok and my server is TRUE but currently I am in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, and I tried to access your website but could not and I contacted the Cambodian IP server (CAMSHIN) and they told me that all internet communications from their platform are routed via Thailand and perhaps this is the reason I am denied access.

Kind regards,

Shane Tarr, PhD

FACT blocked in Shanghai!

In answer to recent tlc posting, I cannot access your site in China (Shanghai). There is quite often a problem with wordpress sites here, even in Shanghai.

Professor Nicholas Tapp

Censorship Thai-style: The FACT story

How easy to censor, how difficult to unblock!

Monday, April 27, six calls to the ICT ministry. Permanent Secretary Su Lo-uthai refused to take my call. I found this rather typical, insulting abuse of government power considering I had petitioned him personally on behalf of FACT. Su referred me to Deputy Permanent Secretary Angsuman Sunarai. I was given two numbers for him but he did not work at the first office and the second did not answer. I was given his mobile and it was turned off. Angsuman’s secretary didn’t answer hers. Angsuman was reported to be in Khon Kaen so I was given two numbers at the ministry for his deputy, Aree Jivorarak, chief of MICT’s IT Regulation Bureau. Neither number was answered and so I was given his mobile number. He asked for details by email, copied below:

Further to our telephone conversation, it has been brought to my attention that my website, Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) has been blocked by around noon Saturday by at least six ISPs.

The URL is http://facthai.wordpress.com. Internet users trying to access the FACT website are redirected to http://w3.mict.go.th.

I have been the registered owner of this website since November 15, 2006. We definitely do not host, post or tolerate any illegal content on FACT’s website and we have never been blocked before.

Please investigate this matter thoroughly and report your results to me

immediately.

I hope the results of your investigation are such that you will immediately

unblock my website.

However, if MICT wishes for some reason to continue to block access to FACT, I require your reasons in full for so doing and a copy of the court order authorising you to do so under the requirements of the Computer-Related Crimes Act 2007.

My mobile telephone number is below my name.

Thank you.

Two followup calls to Aree but he could not deal with this matter because he was in a meeting. He gave me a mobile number for Nut Payongsri, IT Specialist. Nut replied he would read my email and get back to me today. Nut called back to advise me that he found FACT’s website accessible from his office using TOT ISP (wouldn’t one expect all MICT computers not to be blocked?) and that FACT’s website does not appear on the blocklist for April 24 but this is the latest blocklist he had available.

He promised to contact his superior, Aree, for copies of the MICT blocklists for April 25, 26, and today and to call another office to check using a different ISP.

MICT, at 2 pm April 27, denied blocking FACT’s website despite the fact that users are redirected to http://w3.mict.go.th. This is, of course, simply not credible! Meanwhile, FACT’s website is still inaccessible for me on CAT Hi-net ISP.

All administrative functions for FACT’s WordPress site using https are now blocked. Furthermore, the latest post in which I advised users to switch to HTTPS for access had been modified so the URLs read only HTTP on FACT’s public front page but, on editing, return to HTTPS. Hackers or MICT?

TOT unblocked FACT’s website (“sorry for your inconvenient”) around four PM April 27; CAT unblocked around six PM April 28. (True never implemented blocking.) I have insisted to both ISPs that they provide detailed information on the MICT “request” and the dates of blocking. If this was accomplished during the Emergency Decree, it’s legal; otherwise, MICT needed a court order to comply with the Computer Crimes Act. It is likely smaller ISPs will be slower to unblock.

The very least FACT expects from the ICT minister, Ranongruk Suwanachee, is a formal and public apology. None of the information on FACT has been deleted or altered from the time of blocking to the time of unblocking. This means there never was any illegal content on FACTsite.

This has been a valuable lesson for FACT and shows how completely arbitrary Internet censorship really is, in Thailand and everywhere.

FACT wishes to work with MICT and the ISPs to create a clear and simple procedure for website owners to appeal blocking.

Very few have fought or would fight as hard as I did. Next time, FACT hopes to see them in court!

CJ Hinke

Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

เรียนทุกท่าน

ข่าวนี้อาจไม่เกี่ยวโดยตรงกับงานของเครือข่ายพลเมืองเน็ตเท่าไหร่

แต่ขอส่งข่าวต่อเพื่อการรับรู้ทั่วกันนะคะ

ถ้าข่าวนี้ รบกวนท่านใด โปรดอภัย

สุิภิญญา

ร่วมประท้วงหน้าสถานทูตพม่ากับพวกเรา

เครือข่ายสันติภาพเพื่อพม่า และตะโกน

“คืนอิสรภาพให้ นาง ออง ซาน ซูจี

และส่งตาน ฉ่วยขึ้นศาลโลก”

ตอบโต้กรณีรัฐบาลทหารพม่าตั้งข้อกล่าวหาและกักตัวเธอไว้ในคุกอินเส่งเพื่อรอขึ้นศาล วันจันทร์ ที่ ๑๘ พ.ค.นี้ กรุณาใส่เสื้อ -สีดำ พร้อมกันหน้าสถานทูต

วัน จันทร์ ที่  ๑๘ พฤษภาคม ๒๕๕๒ เวลา ๑๐. ๓๐ น.

ข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมกรุณาติดต่อเบอร์ 086 342 3216

Let’s show our support responding to the unjust court trial of Aung San Suu Kyi that will take place on Monday by shouting

“Free Aung San Suu Kyi

Send Than Shwe to ICC!”

Peace for Burma Coalition

Burmese Embassy

Monday 18 May 2009

Time: 10.30 am

Dress Code: Black Shirt

For more information, please contact no. 086 342 3216

Reporters Without Borders and 31 other organisations urge Thai government to amend lese majeste law
Reporters Without Borders: April 29, 2009

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30936

“I posted a video of the king on the Internet,” Suwicha Thakor told Reporters Without Borders from behind a plexiglas screen in Bangkok’s Klong Prem prison on 20 April. “The police should have told me what I was doing was wrong. It is not right to be sentenced to 10 years in prison for this. I am not a problem for the country or its security. I am in prison for nothing.”

Suwicha was given the 10-year sentence on 3 April on a charge of lese majeste. Reporters Without Borders wrote to the king yesterday asking him to grant Suwicha a royal pardon.

Reporters Without Borders and 31 other human rights, press freedom and journalists organisations have issued a joint appeal to the Thai government for a revision of article 112 of the Thai criminal code on lese majeste.

Since a new government took over last December, the authorities have stepped up enforcement of the lese majeste law and the Internet has been one of the leading victims. Access to more than 50,000 websites is currently blocked because of content critical of the monarchy. Around ten people are being prosecuted (or have been prosecuted) for lese majeste and two of them have been convicted. The crime of lese majeste is punishable by three to 15 years in prison.

Reporters Without Borders and the other organisation say: “We see the current trend of multiple prosecutions for the same offences intended to stifle commentary, opinion and dissent.” The lese majeste law had not been used since 1991. Now not a day goes by without the People’s Alliance for Democracy, a member of the ruling coalition, trying to silence criticism in the name of respect for the king.

The appeal urges the authorities to “work with local free speech organisations for a moratorium on lese majeste prosecution so that a constructive dialogue can begin on the issue of Internet freedom.”

Add your name to this appeal!

Call to the Prime Minister to review the lese majeste law

We, human rights groups, journalists and the victims of arbitrary lese majeste prosecutions appeal to Thai authorities to review criminal code article 112 on national security offences, under which any defamatory, insulting or threatening comments about the king, queen, crown prince or regent is deemed to be a crime of lese majeste punishable by three to 15 years in prison.

Access to more than 50,000 webpages has been blocked because of content critical of the monarchy, some 10 people are currently being prosecuted on lese majeste charges, at least two are in prison, and moreheld without bail.

This situation has gone unresolved far too long.

We call for the laws to be amended so that free expression does not fall victim to Thailand’s new security policies. We urge thai government to amend the lawS, especially as the king himself said in his annual address in 2005 that he was not “above criticism”: “If you say the king cannot be criticised, it means the king is not a man.”

We also ask the authorities to work with local free speech organisations for a moratorium on lese majeste prosecution so that a constructive dialogue can begin on the issue of Internet freedom.

We see the current trend of multiple prosecutions for the same offences intended to stifle commentary, opinion and dissent.

- the decriminalization of lese majeste law and the Computer-related Crime Act, which related to the principle of free expression.

- review and reform of the criminal code statutes applied to lese majeste.

- a public awareness campaign to alert Internet users to the risks they are running if their posts are ever deemed to have attacked the monarchy as well as clear and accurate information by government of as to citizens’ legal rights.

‐ publication of the blocklist of websites which have been closed down or blocked for lese majeste ans government’s precise reasons for doing so in order to build a transparent public policy.

‐ withdrawal of plans to incorporate lese majeste into amendments of the Computer Crimes Act 2007, with review and reform of the law to encourage freedom of expression, as required by the Thai constitution.

-      Adil Soz, International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech, Kazakhstan

- Algerian Centre for the Defence and Promotion of Press Freedom (CALP), Algeria

-      Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Egypt

-      Article 19, United Kingdom and International

-      Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong and International

-      Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (ABRAJI),

-      Brazil Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), Brazil

-      Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)

-      Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)

-      Cartoonists Rights Network, International (CRNI), U.S.A.

-      Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), The Philippines

-      Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP), Liberia

-      Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), Australia

-      Electronic Frontiers Foundation, USA

-      Freedom Against Censorship in Thailand (FACT), Thailand

-      Freedom House, USA

-      Global Voices, International

-      Independent Journalism Center (IJC), Moldova

-      International Federation of Journalists Asia-Pacific (IFJ), Australia

-      International Press Institute (IPI), Austria

-      Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), Venezuela

-      Initiative for Freedom of Expression (Antenna -TR), Turkey

-      Legal Aid Institute, Indonesia

-      Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), Australia

-      Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana

-      Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibia

-      Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria

-      Reporters sans frontières (RSF), France

-      Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Bangkok

-      World Association of Newspapers (WAN), France

-      World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), U.S.A.

Psst… want FREEDOM?

http://facthai.wordpress.com

http://facthai.wordpress.com

(pass the word, hummingbird!)

THE ABOVE URLS BEGIN WITH HTTPS://

FACTorial: Don’t let Thailand become the next Burma…or Nepal!

We are beginning to see our beloved country as a failed state and one which has almost no potential for pulling itself out of a tailspin that started with convicted PM Thaksin.

A military coup government passed repressive laws in its 11th hour in 2007. Subsequent (and brief) elected and appointed coalition governments were more than happy to rely on such totalitarian standbys as “national security”, “martial law”, “states of emergency”, “emergency decrees”.

However, these repressive measures are being used against Thai people and continue to this day.

Thailand has no leadership, its helm is rudderless. Both yellow-shirt, elitist “Royalists” and red-shirt mobs embrace the same violence as Thai government; both mobs and government are acting like little better than thugs. Neither side has a definite plan to actually benefit Thai people.

In its desperation, Thai government is ramping up repression. Censorship and prosecutions have increased astronomically and the resulting prison sentences emulate the political repression in Burma.

Thai government is not turning this repression onto Bangkok mobs or Southern insurgents. The repression always targets nonviolent peace activists in the Muslim South and nonviolent human rights and freedom of expression advocates in Bangkok.

Thailand’s international reputation as a peaceful, gentle country has been irreparably harmed by the failure of leadership which has occurred ever since our military’s coup d’etat on September 19, 2006. The strong elected leadership we had from corruption since 2001, well before the coup, was hardly better.

Conflict in Thai society is not being met by negotiation, compromise, conciliation, understanding and surrender. It is being met by further repression.

Burma has walked this road before us. Burma suffers no free expression. Burma’s prisons are stuffed with political prisoners. Burma has no part in the world economy. Burma has no tourists.

We ask government, military, police…and mobs: have you learned nothing from the Buddha’s teachings? Why is it so difficult for you to seek a compromise and say you’re sorry. Too proud? Proud, exactly, of what?

It’s time for Thai government to become a voice of reason rather than using smokescreen non-issues like lese majeste to fool its public. It’s time for meaningful dialogue not violence and repression.

Don’t let Thailand become the next Burma…or Nepal!

การช่วยเหลือคุณสุวิชา ท่าค้อ | Support For Suwicha Thakor

Please contribute as generously as possible to Suwicha’s family. We all need to look after one another to win freedom and end repression.

(11 เม.ย. 2552) เพิ่มเติมหมายเลขบัญชีของลูกชายคุณสุวิชา
(April 11, 2009) Mr Suwicha’s son’s bank account added

ผู้ที่ต้องการช่วยเหลือค่าใช้จ่ายต่าง ๆ สำหรับครอบครัวของคุณสุวิชา ท่าค้อ สามารถมอบเงินช่วยเหลือได้ทาง

เลขที่บัญชี: 408 – 0 – 31301 – 2
ชื่อบัญชี: นางอมร ท่าค้อ
ธนาคารกรุงไทย

หรือ

เลขที่บัญชี: 115 501 201 406 443
ชื่อบัญชี: ด.ช ธีรัตน์ ท่าค้อ
ธนาคารออมสิน สาขานครพนม

For those who are willing to support Mr. Suwicha Thakor and his family, you can transfer financial support directly to

Account No.: 408 – 0 – 31301 – 2
Account Name: Mrs. Amorn Thakor (Mr. Suwicha’s mother – the name may not be correctly spelled)
Krung Thai Bank (http://www.ktb.co.th/en/main/index.jsp)

or

Account No.: 115 501 201 406 443
Account Name: Theerat Thakor
Government Savings Bank, Nakhon Phanom Branch

Formal submission to ICANN from Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

Our observation has been that, throughout recorded history, every attempt at censorship of the individual, is doomed to failure. Worse, censorship makes socially-questionable content far more interesting. “Banned in Boston” (or Bangkok) has always been a badge of honour for free thinkers. In short, banning content assures it a wider audience.

Trying to keep such content “secret” as in Thailand raises many disturbing questions about democracy, transparency, accountability in the role of responsible government. It is far too easy to suppress ideas, opinions, discussion and information with a censorship regime. And there has never been a censor class which knew where to stop.

We must not permit private organisations to take control over content. It is far too easy for private groups to have hidden moral, religious, gender, political agendas. The UK’s Internet Watch Foundation is a good example of a private group being given carte blanche to impose its opinions on the public in total secrecy. We think the goals are not really about “protecting the children” but generating public and private funds for administration while making adults feel good about their efforts.

Not that governments do much better. But at least in case of governments or international governing bodies, there can be the distant possibility of transparency, accountability and oversight. Such oversight should bear many layers of public protection and include academic, expert and public scrutiny.

We are tempted to say secrecy might be the largest part of the problem. Certainly, if one is to examine the recent Internet censorship programmes of the traditionally-liberal Scandinavian countries, it is easy to see how such efforts go off the tracks almost on inception. Who watches the watchers?

The real effort must be put into education for our young people in every country. Why have we given up parental supervision and family discussion to the state? This is what “family values” should mean not some holier-than-thou attitude that all our children can see right through.

The aspect of Internet pornography that disturbs us most is that it may be affecting gender relationships in a profound manner. Many of us learned about sex from parents and friends and in the back seat of a car; now adolescents and younger may think the fantasy life on the Internet is the way real people relate to each other.

Interpol has a very effective database of hundreds of thousands of child abuse images. A spider bot has been created that trawls the Web efficiently every day. When it finds such images, they are immediately deleted. Low cost, minimal administration and upkeep, no counterproductive arrests and prisoners, in short, no problems for wider society.  And yet the images are removed from the ‘net, frustrating their posters. Not perfect, but far more effective than secret censorship.

While we have raised this subject, we must add a word about sexual age of consent laws which vary for every country. However, up until around 1980, most age of consent statutes defined age 12 as legal. We would daresay that the age of sexual experience everywhere in the world is often around this age.

This makes considering those under 18 sexually as children completely unrealistic. And it’s the teenagers themselves who will out you on this one. Thailand has interesting age of consent parameters: consensual sex is legal at age 15 but sex for money before 18 is illegal (as is prostitution!).

Lastly, we think any attempt to regulate Internet pornography using specific port options is a failed effort. Necessity will ensure that technical circumvention methods are discovered even before you can implement such a system.

Although no precise statistics seem available, there appear to be between five and seven billion cached Web pages and two billion active pages, between one and two hundred million weblogs alone. Of these impressive numbers (such a study should be done if it hasn’t already), there are thought to be at least ten million pornographic pages. Many of these are not-for-profit. We don’t think you can push that rock even marginally uphill.

So we must find ways to accommodate what is obviously a popular social trend for a large percentage of 1.5 billion Internet users. The best form of censorship is personal: Don’t like it, don’t look.

A free Internet is the the first cornerstone of democracy and certainly the best chance humans have ever had at real participatory democracy. Now we just need to find ways to make governments less afraid of their netizens and trust them to be responsible to their fellows.

We welcome the opportunity for further frank discussion and consultation with ICANN on this matter.

Thank you. We voices of reason will prevail.

Sincerely yours,

CJ Hinke

Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)