SGF blocked in Thailand

[Brad the Impala]

I find it surprising that SGF is still blocked in Thailand by some servers. Where I am now in Bangkok, I can access all the gay forums, even Cruising For Sex, but not SGF. Despite previous reports of the problem it has never been remedied. It seems a bit of a no brainer to do so, given that the forum exists on the basis of posts about Thailand.

I am now using ID Proxy to bypass this, but it seems an uneccessary aggravation.

[scottish-guy]

Just for info - I have recently discovered that in the UK, SGT appears to be blocked by venues which use TheCloud wi-fi (Wetherspoon's pubs for example). Previously it worked fine.

Gaybutton, Gay Thailand etc are not blocked.

[mahjongguy]

This site is not accessible by customers of True Online in Thailand. It's not censorship, it's some kind of routing error, and I don't understand why it hasn't been fixed.

[soi_toi]

It's also possible that SGT landed themselves onto a blacklist that someone's ISP's is using to filter questionable sites, maybe just because the word 'gay' appears in the title.

There are certain wifi hotspots here at home that use these filters to prevent people from surfing porn in public spaces like libraries and coffee shops.
There was small outrage a few weeks back where the coffee chain Tim Horton's got received some flack for allegedly blocking a gay community news site, Xtra.ca. It turns out that Tim Hortons uses one of these services and Xtra was on that blacklist.

[SimpleSoul]

I believe the government department responsible for internet communications does block some websites at a country level. The way round that, of course, is to use your VPN connection. Slower, but you can still stream and download.

[jimnbkk]

It's also possible that SGT landed themselves onto a blacklist that someone's ISP's is using to filter questionable sites, maybe just because the word 'gay' appears in the title.
There is an American athlete (a track star I believe) named Michael Gay. One of the ultra-conservative Christian websites decreed that the word 'gay' was unacceptable, and substituted the word 'homosexual'. Thus, Michael became Michael Homosexual. The absurdity was, I believe, soon corrected.

[mahjongguy]

"I believe the government department responsible for internet communications does block some websites at a country level."

Yes, it's called the MICT. They re-direct requests for banned sites to their own "Sorry, we can't do that" page.

But SGT can be reached from all Thai ISP's except True Online, so SGT page isn't being banned, it's just some kind of screw-up.

This site is not accessible by customers of True Online in Thailand. It's not censorship, it's some kind of routing error, and I don't understand why it hasn't been fixed.Easy answer - This Is Thailand - they're just completely incompetent.

[pong]

its as explained. A kind of worm of old times surviving.
use turbohide.com to circumvent that. It slows down the connection and posting is hardly possible, reading OK

[Brad the Impala]

Has any attempt been made to contact True, if it is they who are responsible. The error message just shows as "Not found on this server" It's not government censorship, as a different message would be received, and it's unlikely to be True censorship, given that Gay Thailand, Gay guides etc all appear. As SG reports that another wireless site in the UK doesn't give access to SGT, it seems likely that the source of the problem is within SGT.

Now what happened to the super programmer that we were told was going to be upgrading the site, surely he could sort this out in the twinkling of a rentboy's eye.

[Surfcrest]

Now what happened to the super programmer that we were told was going to be upgrading the site, surely he could sort this out in the twinkling of a rentboy's eye.

Our technical resource is in very high demand and so is only available to us when he is not working on something bigger.

We have had discussions about this concern and it does not appear to be a technical problem.
Dante has offered some suggestions around the problem which we may explore once he returns and is able to work on the site again.

This may be a problem I'll have to address once I'm back in Thailand.
As I'm just getting geared up to hike into the Andes.....that might not happen right away.

Surfcrest

[timmberty]

what is the point in having technical support that is only available when he has nothing better to do ?
what is the point of spending so much time telling people the board is about to change as soon as possible ? when the only people who want change are beachlover (not real) matt (if he is real i bet he wish he wasnt), and bucky (we wish he wasnt real) ...
it does seem to play into the enemies hands when nothing changes week after week.
why not just leave things as they are (which seems to be what is going to happen anyway) rather than all the self promotion about how great the board is going to be (when nothing has changed).
the board has been blocked on certain servers since i started reading it about 2 years ago (yes smiles only 2 years.. or there abouts)
if it dont work in one internet cafe when im in thailand i go to another, simple really.
surfcrest (whole name so you know i mean you) why not wait untill things actually change before the next grand opening. as opposed to telling the world (well those that can access the site) whats going to happen, then nothing does.

ni hope ive done you proud.
oops :) (that should clinch it).

[Nirish guy]

An absolute pleasure to read Tim ( well to me anyway ) :-)

And actually I don't disagree with your points either, personally when there was talk of new platforms and things my first thought was "why bother", everything works ( except buckys wonderful drag and drop idea :-) and unless there is some commercial reason that isn't perhaps apparent to us I too would suggest you just get your hiking boots and go and enjoy life hiking in the Andes and not give a toss about here for a while and let things tootle on with your Mods until you feel like doing otherwise perhaps of course as I really doubt anyone here is waiting with bated breath one way or the other for things to change, but perhaps I'm wrong and no doubt others will share their views if I am, but I know if it was me I'd be half to practicing my yodelling or whatever it is that hikers do up mountains !!? And not give a toss about gay forums for a whole as life's short and the forum will still be here when you get from your trip. Ps - hope you enjoy !

[timmberty]

ni wrote ..( except buckys wonderful drag and drop idea :-)..

sounds like a normal walk thru sunee for bucky.

[colmx]

everything works ( except buckys wonderful drag and drop idea :-)
You forgot the "like" button and notifications similar to what they now have on the gaythailand board
Pardon the pun but i really "like" that feature! :thumbup:
(and i think that ChristianPFC likes it too!)

[Nirish guy]

Yes Colmx good point re those fretures as I happen to "like" them too.

it does seem to play into the enemies hands when nothing changes week after week.Is this a case of the parynoya Richard Nixon made famous with his "Enemies List" that led direct to Watergate?????

[Surfcrest]

what is the point in having technical support that is only available when he has nothing better to do ?
what is the point of spending so much time telling people the board is about to change as soon as possible ? when the only people who want change are beachlover (not real) matt (if he is real i bet he wish he wasnt), and bucky (we wish he wasnt real) ...
it does seem to play into the enemies hands when nothing changes week after week.
why not just leave things as they are (which seems to be what is going to happen anyway) rather than all the self promotion about how great the board is going to be (when nothing has changed).
the board has been blocked on certain servers since i started reading it about 2 years ago (yes smiles only 2 years.. or there abouts)
if it dont work in one internet cafe when im in thailand i go to another, simple really.
surfcrest (whole name so you know i mean you) why not wait untill things actually change before the next grand opening. as opposed to telling the world (well those that can access the site) whats going to happen, then nothing does.

ni hope ive done you proud.
oops :) (that should clinch it).
Timmberty,

Let me address the real concern you have, my friend.

Apart from informing the Board a few months back of the coming vBulletin Format, providing the occasional update and answering a few questions from the members on the topic (as IтАЩm doing now for you)тАж.very little has been said about the changeoverтАж.at least here on SGT.

Having a look at the enemyтАЩs hand earlier today, it would appear as though you are the last real person over thereтАж.now that he has admitted to being BQ. Why the heck are you still there? I canтАЩt help but think this is where you are hearing so much about some тАЬgrand openingтАЭтАж.isnтАЩt it?

IтАЩm not sure what your understanding of technical support is. Is this really your question or have you been manipulated into asking it for him? I would be more than happy to provide a very in depth answer to your question тАЬwhat is the point in having technical support that is only available when he has nothing better to do ?тАЭ if you can specifically tell me what you want to know.
Do you know what is involved in keeping this web site working and maintained? Do you know the difference between what jinks and I do vs what other web sites do? Do you know what IтАЩm doing already behind the scenes for the Board? Do you know what Dante has worked on so far?

And so, IтАЩm telling you Timmberty that IтАЩm not spending тАЬso much time telling people the board is about to change as soon as possibleтАЭ. However, when it doesтАж.it will change to allow full size easy photo uploads, a тАЬLikeтАЭ buttonтАж.all the things mentioned in the Hopes and Dreams thread. I only need to reserve some time with DanteтАжas I said in one of my last updates, but for now the current phpBB format is working fine and so we are not in a desperate rush.

Dealing with getting the site unblocked is high on my priority list and unfortunately may have to be one of the few big action items waiting for me for when IтАЩm back in Thailand nextтАжif IтАЩm not able to re-route the problem from here. If it was something that was simple to deal with and didnтАЩt require some legal persuasion, IтАЩm sure the past two owners would have resolved the problem. Perhaps for your benefit Timmberty, someone can suggest a good proxy serverтАжso you neednтАЩt have to switch internet cafes as you say you do.

Timmberty....there is no one over there...just you and him. Good ole SmoothLegs has done what is best and got out of town. Even kjun12 is spending far more time clawing at our front door to be let back in than spending any time over there with Mr. Nobody. You're always telling me to let it go...so now it's my time Timmberty. Let it go pal! You're home here already! The current software is working fine, the Forums are humming along nicely....the CGT / TBB is dead....I've always wanted to follow the Inca Trail.

You see Timmy! You made the Sunday Funnies again!

Surfcrest

[timmberty]

if only the sunday funnies where funny !!!
dont get your nicks in such a twist deary ... my way of asking might not always be politically correct, but you should be used to it by now.
as for a like button ... highly sophisticated (had to look that one up) im sure. but can we have a dislike button too ? it would get far more use than a like one.
bty i dont see a problem with posting on both boards to tell you the truth, but maybe im more grown up than some.. and no, im not a double secret agent asking questions for others.

[Nirish guy]

If you were a "double" secret agent would that not mean that you were then actually working secretly on Surfs behalf ?
( just to be pedantic :-)

[scottish-guy]

Halfway back on-topic, I have discovered that SGT is definitely blocked on all UK wifi spots provided by "The Cloud" - which is probably the largest wifi provider to UK service sector establishments (pubs/coffee-shops/bistros/etc).

I am now getting a notice to say that this site is banned because it's classed as Pornography .


:dontknow:

[Nirish guy]

To be fair Scots I think that's a very general ban that's put in place for a multitude of sites where anything even half approaching sexual content is included and the very use of the word gay in the title is usually enough to get ANY site blocked, gaydar, grindr and many other "normal" gay sites are also blocked on that - its actually a real bug bearer with my that still in this day and age the very appearance of the word gay or anything is enough for a site to be blocked, so much for equality.

[Surfcrest]

I am now getting a notice to say that this site is banned because it's classed as Pornography .

:dontknow:
I'm sure we probably have a 50% split here as to who would think that's a good thing vs those that think it's not.

This site has gone through quite a few evolutions, Sawatdee Theatre, this revolving "sexy boy" photo thing that I removed a month or so back.
Didn't we used to have an "Erotic Photo" club, that may have got someone's ill wanted attention at some point?
Some of the ads on the Portal Page may be informative from a bar goer's point of view, but may raise some eye brows.
Over the years we've come dangerously close to the edge of the road with respect to Rule #4 and this is probably what has been the real source of the problem.
These are all likely culprits for the source of this site's ban from a few providers and in a few countries.
I suspect we may be on a general "international "list as I've found us blocked out in other parts of the world.

I think it is safe to say that we have suffered from an identity crisis over the years and from owner to owner.
I see us more as a "travel" website, for people travelling to or living in Thailand....or travelling from Thailand and SE Asia.

Without alluding to some "grand opening" or something, the membership will see this site evolve over the coming year into something
totally different than what it was prior to May 2013. You need only to scroll back to the posts prior to May to appreciate the difference already.
I hope the membership agrees....we are heading in a better direction! :happy7:

Surfcrest

[scottish-guy]

Ok, I'm not really bothered about the site being blocked and, as you say, it might not be an entirely bad thing - I'm only giving information in case the Management wanted to look into it. :dontknow:

The fact is that this particular ban has only come into force in the last 2 or 3 weeks and the other Gay Thailand forums are unaffected.

Don't shoot the messenger! LOL

[Surfcrest]

The fact is that this particular ban has only come into force in the last 2 or 3 weeks and the other Gay Thailand forums are unaffected.

Don't shoot the messenger! LOL

Sorry, I missed the "now" in your original message.

I'll see what I can find out! ( and Thank You)

Surfcrest

[jinks]

All harbingers of doom should be shot on sight.

[scottish-guy]

Well, it occurred to me that SGT being designated "pornography" and banned from all UK iCloud wifi spots only within the last 2/3 weeks might have been as a result of a malicious report. Just speculation but I wouldn't rule it out.

I will PM Surfcrest with the screen info and how to ask for a re-rating.

[Brad the Impala]

Whatever the recent developments on other UK servers, it's clear that the forum is not accessible on one of the major networks in Thailand, and has not been for some time. It also seems clear that none of the other gay forums, including those with more sexual imagery, viz Cruising For Sex, are affected in this way, and yet from the responses received to my original question neither Surfcrest nor jinks seem to care, nor have done, nor seem to intend to do, anything to remedy this.

Well strike me down with a feather, but it isn't exactly rocket science to see that where the primary topic of the forum is Thailand it is important to try to make sure that posters have unrestricted access from Thailand, since one hopes that that is where most of the information is coming from.

This regime is displaying shades of the previous one with statements of sound and fury, ultimately signifying nothing, with the owner strutting and fretting his hour upon the stage.

[jinks]

neither Surfcrest nor jinks seem to care.

Surfcrest does and is working on it, without giving out chapter and verse.

I don't have anything to do with this subject, you can't tar me for it.

[Surfcrest]

Whatever the recent developments on other UK servers, it's clear that the forum is not accessible on one of the major networks in Thailand, and has not been for some time. It also seems clear that none of the other gay forums, including those with more sexual imagery, viz Cruising For Sex, are affected in this way, and yet from the responses received to my original question neither Surfcrest nor jinks seem to care, nor have done, nor seem to intend to do, anything to remedy this.

As you say Brad, the forum is not accessible on one of the major networks in Thailand and has been for some time.

I have no idea when and why this ban started, I've been using proxy servers in Thailand for SGT for many years.

I'm sure both Spike and BQ considered the problem in the years they owned the site....I know it's been discussed here over the years.

We do indeed care and we are taking steps to address the problem and from more than one angle.

Has the situation become worse for you recently? Are you now unable to access the site?

The more information we have, the better....especially if someone notices this problem outside of Thailand.

Surfcrest

[Brad the Impala]

That is good news if something is going to be done about this, or at least an effort made. I look forward to seeing results.

I am working in Thailand for a few weeks, and in my flat or at work, I have to access via a proxy server, and it's like returning to the dark ages of the internet with dial up! It's a disincentive to visit, and a disincentive to post. Therefore not just an inconvenience, but to the detriment of the quality and footfall of the forums.

Sorry to have tarred jinks for something that he wasn't involved in, but that compensates for some of the times I've restrained myself from commenting on his actions!

You're living in an authoritarian country like Thailand and you think protecting yourself via VPN or proxy is an imposition? Geez.

[Surfcrest]

That is good news if something is going to be done about this, or at least an effort made. I look forward to seeing results.

Sorry to have tarred jinks for something that he wasn't involved in, but that compensates for some of the times I've restrained myself from commenting on his actions!
Para servirle

Surfcrest

Maybe users in Thailand on Windows PCs could try out this new browser which incorporates Tor to by-pass censorship restrictions - http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-rele ... ip-130810/ (http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-releases-pirate-browser-to-thwart-censorship-130810/)

[mahjongguy]

My ISP is True Online. I have not been able to connect to this site for at least two years, but I make the attempt at least once a week.

Beginning several days ago, the situation has changed. Sometimes I can connect, sometimes I can't.

So somebody is doing something, intentionally or not, that is having an effect.

[Brad the Impala]

Despite the above glimmer of light, I was never able to connect directly to SGT on True during my trip.