Bangkok (THAILAND) – Thais facing YouTube withdrawal symptoms are finding creative ways of accessing their Numa Numa and “Ask a Ninja” videos.  At major shopping centers, members of the Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) group are distributing CDs containing proxy software that gets around the block.  The group says that thousands of websites, in addition to YouTube, have been blocked.

Back on April 4th, YouTube was blocked by Thailand’s Ministry of Information and Telecommunications (MICT) after a 44-second video mocking King Bhumibol Adulyadej appeared on the popular video sharing site.  The clip placed pictures of feet stomping over a portrait of the king, something that is considered very offensive in Thailand because the head is considered to be a sacred part of the body.  YouTube, owned by Google, initially refused to take down the video, but eliminated the clips a few days later.

Despite the video take downs, as of June 18th, the ban of YouTube is still in effect and Internet users in Thailand will either get a page not found error or will be redirected to a ban notification website.  In-country pings to YouTube’s main IP address of 208.65.153.253 come back as “Request timed out”, but pings from outside of Thailand return normally.  

Sitthichai Pokaiyaudom, head of the MICT, has said that the government only blocks a few dozen websites, but according to FACT more than 11,000 websites have been blocked since January 2004.

FACT is giving away a CD called “Beat the Censor’s Unlock ICT!” that will supposedly get around the ban.  The CD contains proxy software that effectively bounces the user through a middle-man website to get to other sites.  FACT members have been seen distributing the CDs near Bangkok’s Panthip Plaza, one of the city’s main computer shopping markets.

Back in September 19, 2006 General Sonthi Boonyaratglin lead a bloodless coup against then Prime Minister Thaskin Shinawatra.  Democratically-elected Shinawatra fled the country and has been trying to organize a comeback through the almost daily anti-coup protests around Bangkok.  The ban on YouTube conveniently also blocks almost all protest videos from appearing online, something the current government says is just pure coincidence. 

correction

Jun 21, 2007 07:17     

I'm not actually a member of FACT, as your article says, just a passionate supporter. FACT doesn't have an official membership list, but anyone can sign their petition at http://facthai.wordpress.com/sign/
Matthew Hunt report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Proxy's are banned

Jul 25, 2007 22:11     

A new law in Thailand makes it illeage to use a proxy, and without warrent your PC can be taken from your home. The law clearly states you have no right to sue if this happens. Cause for taking your PC can be anything made up or real.
unknowen can't say report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Take YouTube Videos with you

Nov 08, 2007 23:30     

YouTubeRobot.com today announces YouTube Robot 2.0, a tool that enables you to download video from YouTube.com onto your PC, convert flv files to various video formats to watch it when you are on the road on mobile devices like mobile phone, iPod, iPhone, Pocket PC, PSP, or Zune.Product page:youtuberobot.com Direct download link: youtuberobot.com/download/utuberobot.exe Company web-site: youtuberobot.com E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

matilda report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0