Supinya.com

I just read a report on “Enemies of the Internet”,  Thailand is not yet among Top 12 countries  but covered briefly in this report written by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).  It’s launched on the World Day against Cyber-censorship on March 12. http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=20

After joint appeal with Amnesty International for an end to online censorship, Reporters Without Borders issues report on “Enemies of the Internet”

In Press Freedom Barometer, RSF says there are 69 cyberdissidents currently imprisoned worldwide.

http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=119

The most are in China (49), you can expect some in Burma, Vietnam and Syria, but I still do not see a record from Thailand which in fact there is at least one cyberdissident detained in prison. That’s the case of Mr.Suwich Takhor reported in this news from Bloomberg.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=am736GWTy5dQ

According to my knowledge, there were two Internet useres arrested in 2007, user names  ‘TonChan’&’PhrayaPichai” (woman and man), they were granted bail and the cases were not prosecuted.  Mr.Suwicha Takhor was arrested later in early 2009 and he has been denied to get bail twice.  After that another lady,user name ‘Bento’ was arrested for the content posted on Prachatai web board,  she got bailed with 2 millions baht.  Then Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn, Prachatai’s director arrested and bailed out on March 6th.  Actually,  there is another case of 212 cafe website, its webmaster was also arrested under Computer Crime Act 2007 but this case involved with the personal contents of Internet user posted without consent on web board by the anonymous which not related to the LM issues as other cases mentioned. The webmaster of 212cafe was arrested because he was late to delete the URL only for one day because he was not at his office while the police called him.  He didn’t mean to violate the law and the rights of other person. The webmaster  is also a member of  Thai Netizen Network.  Internet regulation itself is very challenging,  how we could keep a balance in the cyber world?

There should be more cases arrested under CCA2007  either involved with LM or not.  But we are not fully informed.  The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)  shall make the regular announcement of  all cases arrested under the law  Thai Netizen Network is planing to approach ICT ministry in order to initiate a dialogue. Meeting with the polices should be a good idea too.  Any information or experiences for the better law-enforcement on CCA is very welcome.  We do need more knowledge on the practice of  similar cyber-crime laws and its enforcement in other countries.

Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières

21 February 2009

THAILAND
“Immense relief” after Harry Nicolaides is pardoned and flies home

Reporters Without Borders hails the release of Harry Nicolaides, who
flew home to Australia today after being granted a royal pardon on 19
February. The press freedom organisation calls for a rapid overhaul of
Thailand’s lese majeste law.

“Nicolaides should never have been arrested and sentenced to three
years in prison,” Reporters Without Borders said. “By according him a
pardon, the king has corrected a serious miscarriage of justice and a
violation of free expression. We call for an end to lese majeste
proceedings against Thai citizens such as university academic Giles
Ungpakorn and Internet user Suwicha Thakor.”

On his arrival today at Melbourne airport, a moved Nicolaides thanked
his fellow Australians for their support during the more than five
months in spent in a Bangkok prison. He was told he was being released
just a few hours before being put on a flight back to Australia. Thai
officials made him kneel before a photo of the king before freeing
him.

“I have been crying for eight hours as I learned only a few minutes
before my flight that my mother had suffered a stroke,” Nicolaides
told journalists, adding that he blamed his detention for his mother’s
condition.

Nicolaides’ brother sent Reporters Without Borders an email thanking
all those who supported the family’s efforts. “Harry will not make any
statements to the press for a while because he wants to be with his
family and to regain his health.”

Aged 41, Nicolaides was sentenced by the Bangkok criminal court on 19
January to three years in prison on a charge of lese majeste under
article 112 of the criminal code for referring in his 2005 novel
“Verisimilitude” to the way King Bhumipol’s son had treated one his
mistresses. He pleaded guilty at the trial and asked the court to be
lenient. Only 50 copies of the novel were ever printed.

Earlier this month, Reporters Without Borders issued a report on lese
majeste in Thailand (http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30247)
and organised a cyber-demonstration to demand Nicolaides’ release.