Blockage, Prominent, Blog, Highlights, Absurd, System

Absolutely Bangkok, a popular site which describes itself as “a tame lifestyle and politics blog”, has revealed it was blocked by Thai ISP LoxInfo.

Initially unknown to Bangkok Dan, the man behind the blog, as he explains in this post.

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.”

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.”

Even if Absolutely Bangkok is a threat which needs blocking (which it certainly isn’t) the case show an absurd scenario where one ISP deems a website to need action when no others do.

Where is the consistency?

Dan is rightly disappointed and disillusioned with a process that needs just one person to file a complaint to kick off.

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.

The comments section of the post includes an interesting response from CJ Hinke, the man behind FACT, whose websites was blocked and then unblocked last year. He comments

Wear being censored as a badge of honor even if it’s a pain in the ass. If they don’t block us, we win – our information gets out to the public. If they block us, we still win – more people know about us.

Hinke provides interesting advice on how “how to unblock your website in Thailand” and “how Thailand censors the Internet” though both appear to be blocked.

Ironic indeed.

Story via Bangkok Pundit.