Asia-Pacific News
Thailand drops law suit against Google
May 10, 2007, 12:07 GMT
Bangkok - The Thai government decided Thursday not to sue Google.Inc after the internet search giant reportedly promised to remove all anti-monarchy videos from its YouTube.com website, media reports said.
Information and Communications Technology Minister Sitthichai Pokaiyaudom said he had received an official letter from a Google vice president saying that the US company did not want to promote hostile feelings over the video clips, said the Bangkok Post newspaper's online news service.
Earlier this week Sitthichai had vowed to proceed on Friday with the case against Google at Thailand's criminal court after the Internet giant rejected initial appeals to remove controversial video clips from its affiliate YouTube.com deemed insulting to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand's revered monarch who this year celebrates his 80th birthday.
Thailand has strict lese majeste laws that make it a criminal offence to mock the royal family.
Sitthichai has argued that Google had bowed to China's requests to block certain topics deemed politically sensitive, such as all references to democracy, so he saw no reason why it could not act similarly over Thailand's sensitivities over its revered monarch.
The ministry has blocked local access to YouTube since April 4, shortly after the first offensive clip appeared on the popular website, which relies on contributions from the public at large.
Increasing government censorship of websites was cited as one of the reasons Thailand was downgraded earlier this month to 127th place out of 195 countries on the Freedom House ranking of press freedom.
Last year Thailand ranked 107th in the same listing.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
'... start monitoring all internet sites, snooping at peoples emails, listening in on chat room ...'
Before start pointing your finger to my country, you better look at your own 'PATRIOT ACT'. Oh, I forgot. Your country (the ignorance, U S and A) snoops home phones too. Wow, that's even worse.
Americans also need to get use to the fact that insulting others is not the way civilized people do.
It seems that you are the only one who is insulting anyone is Tony(he refered to a whole nation of people as ignorant). Also his arguement doesn't attack the topic--The Thialand Goverment's disregard for freedom of speech, not the US's wiretapping bills.
I didn't think that Google would bend for Thailand's goverement, but it's quite disturbing to see that they have. Considering that they own a virtual monopoly on search engines I think this event is worth some serious reflection.
The worlds access to information has been sacrificed by the whims of one country's outdated monarcy. Am I also at risk of imprisonment when I ask how a nations leader can have such thin skin?
Don't let this baby have its bottle. Freedom of speech is worth fighting for.
page: 1
egee fayMay 10th, 2007 - 16:10:17
Thailand needs to get use to the fact that the internet is an open forum where anyone with an internet connection can express their views and feelings.
Unless Thailand wants to start monitoring all internet sites, snooping at peoples emails, listening in on chat room..and becoming a police state like China, they should get use to stuff on the interenet they don't like.
Instead of a victory for Thailand, the move to force Google to remove clips from YouTube only places Thailand in the same league as countries that censor freedom of speech.
I am always amused that Thailand bans porn websites and magazines while at the same time turns a blind eye to Thailands robust sex trade in children and adults.
It's money over principle
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