THAILAND: ICT Ministry to sue YouTube over clip

Information and Communication Technology Minister Sitthichai feels bullied says Google pulled a video at the request of the Chinese government, but won't do so for Thailand

Bangkok Post
Friday, May 4, 2007

By Pradit Ruangdit and Nanthaphon Chongfuengparinya

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry will sue YouTube.com for running a video clip offending the monarchy. ICT Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom told a meeting of webmasters yesterday that he would proceed with court action as suggested by the forum.

However, the minister did not give details beyond accusing YouTube of lying when the website said it could not pull the video.

He said Google, which owns YouTube, had agreed to China's request that some clips be censored. He could not see why YouTube could not do the same for Thailand.

"This YouTube issue is about a private firm in the US trying to bully a small country like Thailand," Mr Sitthichai said.

The government's decision to block access to the clips was not politically motivated as it was done to prevent public anger from watching them.

Paiboon Amornpinyokiat, consultant of the Thai Webmasters Association, recommended the government secure a court order in the US to coax YouTube into cooperation. He said the government's approach to the issue may be construed as an order, to which the website may be reluctant to respond.

Lese majeste is illegal and so it was reasonable for the government to seek a court order to ban the website, he said.

The minister and representatives of the association joined a discussion on freedom of expression in the digital age at the Thai Journalists Association on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day yesterday.

Mr Sitthichai denied the government had violated media freedom, saying it blocked only 16 websites as opposed to 9,000 websites banned by the previous government.

Though non-elected, the government was more democratic, he said.

Mr Paiboon proposed the government promote self-censorship among webmasters.

Pantip.com founder Wanchat Padungrat said that instead of blocking websites, the government should encourage constructive ways of expression, for the sake of reconciliation.

He said a clear and specific law was needed to combat cyber crimes.

Date Posted: 5/4/2007