Those in Charge !!!

[LivinLOS]

Dear lord.. Read this and weep..

This is an example of everything thats wrong with Thailand top down approach.. Poo Yais running the population..

Sitthichai gets no kick from the Net

Information and Communica-tions Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom says the Internet is not an "exciting" tool - a strange sentiment, maybe, for the man who guides the technology in Thailand.

The minister has ordered five websites blocked since he assumed the position eight months ago.

He admitted he was not information-technology savvy and made minimum use of the Internet. The reason Sitthichai, 59, is not excited by the Internet is simple: "I'm old."

"I have an e-mail account but rarely check it; normally I use the telephone." He visits two websites only on a regular basis.

Sitthichai, an associate professor in electronics, often visits the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers site. At ieee.org he updates his professional knowledge.

And at pgatour.com he can monitor golf tournaments and other sports.

He said he had "not even glanced" at most of the five sites he was responsible for closing.

"I once visited pantip.com and was confused by its many rooms. I quit and never went back," he said.

Pantip.com is a leading portal website in Thailand, and it hosts the popular Rajdamnoen Room, a virtual public space for people to share political opinions. The chat room was one of the five sites Sitthichai barred.

He insisted he had been approached by the webmaster at pantip.com, who had said the site was unable to control comments being made about Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

Other sites he has blocked are Camfrog for allegedly showing live, lewd acts by webcam users and YouTube for presenting a video clip considered insulting to the monarchy. He cannot remember the others. They were pornography sites.

Camfrog was reopened after being blocked for about 10 days. YouTube remains off limits to surfers in Thailand.

Both are overseas based and popular in Thailand. Sitthichai admitted he did not know the purpose of the two sites or what users did at them.

His decision to block sites or issue warnings to webmasters are based on opinions and suggestions from about 20 ministry staff and state-owned CAT Telecom, who monitor the online world around the clock.

He was presented with "hard-copy" evidence of the sites along with proposals to block them.

During his time with the portfolio he has received as many as 100 recommendations to shut sites. Just five deserved it, he said. It does not take him long to decide which sites will be blocked.

"The most important issue is lese majeste. That makes the decision easy. Then comes threats to national security and the morality of society," he said.

He sets his own criteria. To criticise the Privy Council president is a threat to national security, he said.

He instantly ordered YouTube off limits because the offending material "touched on the untouchable of Thailand".

Sitthichai realises his job is not easy. Information often comes with challenges to national taboos.

The dilemma is balancing the basic rights of people to information and those national taboos. The international community has slammed him for his actions, but he could have been pilloried at home by allowing material offensive to the nation to be distributed, he said.

Of the international incident the YouTube action has become he said: "I didn't mean to prevent Thai people having access to all of the website, but I wanted to show the world how important the monarchy was to this country and its people."

Sitthichai said the monarchy was vital to Thailand and its people and the institution was above politics.

He described Western criticism as "hypocritical".

"If it [YouTube owner Google] truly respects human rights and the flow of information, why does it self-censor information the Chinese government considers improper simply to gain access to that market?" he asked.

Every community has its own taboos and respected institutions that should not be criticised, he added.

"Remember when church and religion were taboo? Those challenging their religion were punished," he said.

Pennapa Hongthong

The Nation

[LivinLOS]

This is the same guy who has made statements like.. the internet is a lot of little tubes.. Has made totally incomprehsible comments about open source..

He clearly doesnt have a scooby what hes talking about.. Putting a 59 year old guy whose only goes to two sites and doesnt read his email in charge of the IT Ministry.. Thier best and brightest..

I am starting to think they deserve everything they get.

[Dodger]

I am as amazed as you Lil but then I thought he probably has a team of younger staff perhaps more ofay (is that how you spell Offay?)(or is it ofeigh?), feck it, more familiar with, the internet, but even so it is still amazing that you put this guy up as the spokeman for the IT Ministry. In meetings with him you would either be able to completely tie him up with jargon and statistics or he would more likely just be stubborn and go, 'nope, banned' without really knowing why.

[ATMwalking]

My dad, who is in his 60's is a friggin internet genous compared with this guy.

Position here has nothing to do with experience or knowledge. He just kissed the right asses and made the appropriate donations and there he goes. Thailand seems to have zero interest in building out the infrastructure, so this makes sense.

LiL, I'd appreciate it if you could fax these articles over in the future.

[LivinLOS]

I could always get it to you via GMail paper ???

Welcome to Gmail

About Gmail Paper

[ATMwalking]

I'm sure this dude would actually sign up for it not realizing it was April Fools.

Actually the thing I really love about this article is he really details why he is not the least bit qualified for his job. And clearly isn't the least bit worried. Like that other thread, experience or knowledge aren't the qualifier in Thailand.

[Mav]

Has the Minister for Health got cancer ?

Does the Minister for transport walks 5 miles to work ?

Is the Minister for Ethnic Affairs a memeber of the Bkk Branch of the KKK ?

[ATMwalking]

Originally Posted by Mav

Has the Minister for Health got cancer ?

Does the Minister for transport walks 5 miles to work ?

Is the Minister for Ethnic Affairs a memeber of the Bkk Branch of the KKK ?

Not sure about that but the Finance Minister is just coming out of personal bankruptcy

[ATMwalking]

Another thing just struck me about thsi today.

This guy is making ad hoc decisions based on his guy feelings. He isn't receiving direction from an authority appointed to make these decisions. It isn't based on a court order. Just what ever he feels like.

That is scary. That is what should be banned.

[LivinLOS]

Secondly theres no appeal process, no transparency, no way to unblock your site etc..

[K2]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

Dear lord.. Read this and weep..

"Remember when church and religion were taboo? Those challenging their religion were punished," he said.

I was not around for the Spanish Inquisition!

Spanish Inquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The bit on censorship even back in the 16th Century seems sadly relevent today!

[ATMwalking]

Originally Posted by K2

I was not around for the Spanish Inquisition!

Spanish Inquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The bit on censorship even back in the 16th Century seems sadly relevant today!

So basically his defense is they are offering freedom on par with or slightly better than 16th Century Europe ordering to the guy in charge of 21st Centruy tech. Great.

Great selling point. I think this could should get the PM job for a little while. I think he would rock at finding new and interesting dumb things to do to embarrass the country. I think he is sufficiently unqualified.

[TanMan]

When, if ever, is the "top" guy the most knowledgable??? Bush... Merkel, Blair??? Pelosi??? just to name a few...

I think it is quite feasable that someone in the top spot may not know what the hell is "really" happening, but having a vague/general understanding is enough... and a few selected words they may have spoken and were recorded, while being honest about themselves, may distort his or her other true leadership abilities...

[ub2yoo]

Originally Posted by TanMan

I think it is quite feasable that someone in the top spot may not know what the hell is "really" happening, but having a vague/general understanding is enough...

In general true, but in this case your required "vague/general understanding" requirment has obviously not been fulfilled.