VZCZCXRO5758
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #4725 2430909
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310909Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9363
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC

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.