absolutelyBangkok archive · Gadgets & Technology
Originally published Feb. 23, 2010
The Thai cyber patrol can actually be quite responsive and kudos to LoxInfo. Last week I got messages from readers that this site was blocked by their ISP LoxInfo. Instead of absolutelyBangkok.com a familiar frame showed up: “This URL has been blocked by a court order OR it could have an affect on or be against the security of the kingdom, public order or good morals. CS LoxInfo Plc.” This being mainly a lifestyle and cultural blog.
aB.com respects the kingdom’s laws and is well aware that the illegal content they are looking for is related to terrorism, child pornography, defamatory material and material which is an infringement on individuals. Not really stuff you read on aB.com. Well, a loyal reader contacted LoxInfo. Within 24 hours he was reassured there is no inappropriate content on aB.com and they undid the blocking promptly. Here is what had happened:
A reader complained to LoxInfo via email and an exchange of emails ensued which he was kind enough to forward me. It remains unclear what exactly the “inappropriate content” was that led to the blocking of this site, but it is encouraging to see that the concerned parties responded quickly, professionally and efficiently.
The first reply reader T. received from LoxInfo was the following — he had wondered why this inconspicuous site was blocked:
Dear Mr (…)
Thank you for your email and we apologize for the inconvenience.
We have passed the problem to the relevant department for invesitgation.
Once we have received their findings we will contact you immediately.
(…)
The finding was the following, explained in an email received a few hours later:
Dear Mr (…)
Thank you for your email of Feb. 20, 2010.
Please be informed that CS LoxInfo PCL have associated with Thai Hot Line Organization which is the organization to inspect the content on internet network.
Regarding your concern, we have considered that there are inappropriate contents on this website; therefore, we have to block this website accordingly.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
(…)
Meaning, LoxInfo said they had received a report by Thaihotline.org and they were acting accordingly. Thaihotline.org is an online project sponsored by Thailand’s major ISPs to achieve “creative internet usage and safe internet society in Thailand.” Meaning someone had reported illegal content on aB.com. That’s very easy to do. Anyone can. Just fill out a standard form. And they reacted.
So the reader contacted Thaihotline.org directly — again by email — and within hours he got this reply:
Dear Sir, I’m sorry to know that you are facing an inconvienion situation. We are going to check if we have reported the http://absolutelybangkok.com/ trought ISP or not.
Usually we have officers to check all of the reported website before send notifications to ISP, therefore it’s also a doubt for us that this case has happened.
I’ll see what I can do and respond for you guys soon Best Regards, Thaihotline.org A few hours later a second email by Thaihotline.org:
Dear Sir, Usually whenever we have gotten the report, we send notification to ISP to consider if there is inappropriate content and should be blocked or not. Therefore, there are some other ISP like Inet or True that doesn’t block the website. However, we are going to coordinate with LoxInfo to reconsider blocking the website since the inappropriate content we notified has been removed from the website, so it’s up to their consideration.
Best Regards, (…)
Thaihotline.org
I’m not aware of what “inappropriate content we notified has been removed from the website,” but not even an hour later an email by LoxInfo confirmed that the site was unblocked already:
Dear Mr (…)
Regarding your concern, we were informed that http://absolutelybangkok.com/ is unblocked already.
Please try to open again.
(…)
That’s basically it, but it goes without saying that it remains unclear who reported the site for what reason.
Well I have my ideas, but that’s pure speculation without having access to the data.
You all know these are not easy times in Thailand, but it came as more as a surprise that this comparatively tame lifestyle and politics blog was targeted while a ton of sleazy and outright dangerous and malicious stuff out there is most easily accessible by the click of a button.
It actually shattered my trust in the work of the Thai cyber police so much that you think this has become a place where anyone can accuse anyone of anything. This being the “open” “pluralist” Thailand of the Democrats. This Thailand is not the Thailand it used to be, I thought, and me, back then most critical of Thaksin, saw myself longing for the much less censorship and more open society back then.
When out of the blue you’re on par with treason, that’s kind of absurd or not. Anyone could be a next target. No one would be safe in such a society. Even though, as our dear deputy prime minister recently said, the Thai judicial process was the best in the world.
Yes, there is some kind of transparency. I was positively surprised by how quickly the contacted officers responded to the reader’s inquiry. A big thanks to this reader, I owe you.
Point is, I always took especial care.
Much online content is highly subjective. A good intention may easily look bad.
How can you know?
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