Thai government threatens to shut down 29 websites
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai authorities on Tuesday threatened to shut down 29 websites over content deemed offensive to the nation's revered king, warning that owners of the portals could face prosecution. The latest threat came after Thailand banned the video-sharing service YouTube for five months last year, over videos that mocked Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The ban was only lifted after YouTube, owned by Internet giant Google, agreed to filter videos related to the king from appearing to users in Thailand. Chalerm Yoobumrung, Thailand's interior minister, said Tuesday the websites in question would be discussed in a meeting with police. "We will exercise whatever law we need to, because it's threatening national security and the interior ministry cannot ignore it," he told reporters. "I will closely monitor all these 29 websites."
 Internet content seen as overtly critical of the king -- who many Thais believe is semi-divine -- has been under close scrutiny since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was toppled in a coup by army generals in 2006. Thai Special Branch police confirmed Tuesday they had more than 20 websites under investigation for insulting the monarchy, including the pro-Thaksin site hi-thaksin.net. Last year's YouTube controversy centred on a clip posted by an anonymous user showing digitally-altered images of the revered 80-year-old King next to a photograph of feet. Thais believe feet are the lowest and dirtiest part of the body, and placing feet next to someone's head is seen as a massive insult. The ban was only lifted at the end of August last year when filters were installed to stop viewers in Thailand seeing the offensive clips. Other video clips and webpages covering controversial Thai politics and the monarchy, have since been banned. Lieutenant General Rapipat Palawong, commander of Special Branch Police, told AFP that any website suspected of allowing messages to be posted which insulted the monarchy, whether hosted in Thailand or abroad, would be liable for prosecution. "We have coordinated with our legal department and Interpol on how to prosecute these perpetrators," Rapipat said, explaining that some of the sites had been found to be registered overseas. --- |
Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
