YouTube Returns To Thailand
September 03, 2007 | by Christopher Nickson
YouTube has reached an agreement with the Thai government after being banned for five months for showing material seen as insulting to the country's king.
You probably didn’t know it had even been away, but YouTube is now back in Thailand. The video-sharing service had been banned by Thai censors in April when it carried material viewed as insulting to the country’s king and Google, which owns YouTube, refused to remove it.
Under the new agreement, YouTube has agreed to block any clips considered offensive to Thai culture or which violate Thai law.
According to the country’s minister of information and communications technology, Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, the two parties had come to an agreement a while ago, but they experienced technical problems implementing it.
“Any clip that we think is illegal, we will inform YouTube and YouTube will have a look independently,” he said. “If YouTube agrees that it is illegal for Thailand or against Thai culture, they will block it from viewers in Thailand.”
The clips would only be blocked in Thailand; people elsewhere would still be able to watch them.
When the site re-opened in Thailand on Friday, one posting was from a woman who said she posted one of the clips about King Bhumibol that had caused the original furore, along with a rambling apology and monologue.
Thailand has a reputation for being especially sensitive about its monarchy. For example, neither the film The King And I nor its remake have ever been shown there.
Thailand isn’t the only country with restrictions that affect YouTube. In both France and Germany the company blocks material that could contravene laws on hate speech and Holocaust denial.
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Matt Lufcy on Sep 6th, 2007 at 1:41 PM:
I am an American living in Thailand. I am very happy to have YouTube back, and I agree with this move. More people need to realize that freedom of speech is NOT universal, and NOT universally "good." Thai people love their king, and even though the king himself once sought to repeal the lese majestie laws, his people kept them in place. I was shocked and dismayed that some people thought that the laws in their country must necessarily apply to all countries.
I think that the internet needs more efficient policing, and now that we are beginning to see technology that can do that, it becomes possible. I am not offended or outraged by this action... I am just happy I can see YouTube again... and I'm happy that one website is willing to respect the laws of other countries.