February 1st, 2007, 02:01
Junta clamps down on websites
The year may well be the 21st century's version of George Orwell's "1984" for Thailand as the number of blocked websites since the coup has increased by 500 per cent as of January, according to the campaign group Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT).
The "blocklist", numbering 13,435 websites as of January 11, compared to 2,475 in October 13 last year, "shows a frightening increase in thought control and abrogation of civil liberties and human rights in Thailand," FACT said in a recent statement. "2007 may well be the 21st century's "1984" in Thailand."
Some anti-coup websites such as 19sep.org have been blocked six time since the coup took place last September.
"In the wake of September 19, many Thai Web discussion boards were blocked or ordered to self-censor, stifling freedom of expression and freedom of association," FACT stated.
It added that no identification of the blocked websites has been disclosed to the public nor do the involved government agencies disclose what criteria they use to block some sites.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30025620 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30025620)
The year may well be the 21st century's version of George Orwell's "1984" for Thailand as the number of blocked websites since the coup has increased by 500 per cent as of January, according to the campaign group Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT).
The "blocklist", numbering 13,435 websites as of January 11, compared to 2,475 in October 13 last year, "shows a frightening increase in thought control and abrogation of civil liberties and human rights in Thailand," FACT said in a recent statement. "2007 may well be the 21st century's "1984" in Thailand."
Some anti-coup websites such as 19sep.org have been blocked six time since the coup took place last September.
"In the wake of September 19, many Thai Web discussion boards were blocked or ordered to self-censor, stifling freedom of expression and freedom of association," FACT stated.
It added that no identification of the blocked websites has been disclosed to the public nor do the involved government agencies disclose what criteria they use to block some sites.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30025620 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30025620)