THAILAND LIFTS BAN ON YOUTUBE

UNCLAS BANGKOK 004725 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/CIP, EAP/MLS STATE PASS USTR FOR JMCHALE USDOC FOR 4430/EAP/MAC/OKSA E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD ECPS TH SUBJECT: THAILAND LIFTS BAN ON YOUTUBE ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MICT) announced on August 30 that it had lifted its ban on the popular video-sharing website YouTube, a ban that has made the site inaccessible for most Internet users in Thailand for nearly five months. The announcement follows directly on the heels of a visit by the Deputy Counsel for Google, the owner of YouTube, who met with MICT officials earlier this week to resolve remaining issues. Although disagreement remains over two videos that the RTG labels defamatory but Google considers political criticism, MICT nevertheless unblocked the site. Google has arranged a direct communication channel with MICT to review videos that may subsequently appear on YouTube's site. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) MICT blocked the YouTube website in April in response to the posting of videos portraying the King of Thailand in a negative light. The controversy engendered a number of copycat videos that proliferated on the site. After threats of a civil suit against Google in May, Google agreed to remove a set of videos that were in direct violation of YouTube's terms of use that prohibit videos that contain slurs or the malicious use of stereotypes. Google also agreed to block other videos from view in Thailand that appeared to violate Thailand's lese majeste law that criminalizes insults to the monarchy, but maintained them on its global site. Google declined to block a small number of videos that included negative images of the King but that the company considered as political criticisms and not intended insults of the monarchy. MICT refused to lift the ban. ¶3. (SBU) In an attempt to resolve the impasse, Google agreed in June to open a direct communication channel with MICT, providing the Ministry a dedicated email address to report any videos it believes violated Thai law. Google would review the videos and respond within one working day and if, after legal review, the video was confirmed as illegal would remove it from display. If disagreement over the legality arose, Google would remove a video only after a Thai court judicially determined it to be illegal under Thai law. For its part, the RTG revoked the MICT's authority to close websites, requiring a court action instead. (Note: Thai Internet Service Providers are planning to issue a joint declaration today pledging to work with RTG officials to identify offensive videos and proceed in accordance with Thai law.) ¶4. (SBU) The agreement immediately hit a snag as MICT officials claimed that videos that Google had agreed to block were still viewable in Thailand. Google and MICT technical staff worked over the last two months to define IP addresses assigned to Thailand to ensure all gaps in Google's blocking were filled. ¶5. (SBU) Google and MICT still disagree on two remaining videos that the MICT considers illegal but Google files under the heading of free speech. On August 27, Google's Deputy Counsel Nicole Wong met with MICT Minister Sitthichai in Bangkok and confirmed the blocking of the previously agreed upon set of videos, and acted to block another that had recently appeared and also violated YouTube's terms of use. Despite the continuing disagreement over the two videos, MICT decided to lift the ban. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: The wave of censorship and media restrictions that followed the September 2006 coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin have mostly subsided and many print journalists believe that the media is now in a position to enjoy more freedom than before. After the coup, the new government imposed tight restrictions on Thai media, including the internet, and even blocked images of Thaksin from BBC and CNN news reports. Today, however, the severe restrictions on broadcast and print media and websites that followed in the wake of the coup are gone. The August 29 passage of the Printing Bill by the National Legislative Assembly marked an important turning point for the press, undoing the 1941 Printing Act that required newspaper publishers to be licensed and gave authorities power to shut down newspapers. Additionally, amendments to the bill and three Revolutionary Announcements that further inhibited freedom of the press have also been abolished. While material deemed offensive to the monarchy is still punishable by imprisonment, journalists we spoke to believe that the new Printing Act represents a new era of press freedom for Thailand. End Comment.