EDITORIAL

Censorship must not be arbitrary

Recent events have served to highlight how fragile our basic freedoms are. Some may argue Thailand has a reasonably free media and a relatively open society, despite all the threats and hurdles that we as a country continue to face. But to sing proudly that we are not listed next to Turkmenistan, Burma and North Korea on a list of the most heavily censored countries in the world, is not exactly an achievement. We deserve more.

During this period of political reform, we should be looking closely not just at the current laws but also at entrenched ideas and conventions that have been, and continue to be, used to censor and stifle open discussion and information-sharing within Thai society and with the wider world.

The diversity and independence of government-regulated television and radio continue to be stifled and threatened. And much of the mainstream print media continues to exercise woeful self-censorship under arcane laws and the often-misguided sentiment of national unity.

The freedom to express ideas was under constant threat during the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra. His ouster promised a return to "democracy" and was supposed to undo those wrongs and re-establish a legal framework guaranteeing our freedom of expression - the ability to freely air and exchange information and views, which is the very foundation of a free and open society.

But it seems that we are at a risk of regressing even further. Thanks to its accessibility and discursive nature, the internet is seen by most as a vehicle to fight against oppression; but it is also viewed by more authoritarian governments as a threat to their control and hegemony. It is true that the free flow of information has a dark side in the form of pornography or fraud, but that is a different challenge which calls for another set of reactions altogether.

It is worth noting that the coup-makers marked their rise to power with a temporary blockage of the websites of international news organisations including the CNN and BBC. Over the past six months, the authorities have continued to arbitrarily censor and shut down websites they deem inappropriate, despite outcries by groups that support the protection of basic rights.

According to Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT), an estimated 32,500 websites are at present blocked by the police and another 13,500 by the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, with 11% of the blocked sites categorised as a threat to national security.

The Royal Thai Police and the so-called cyber police from the ICT Ministry continue to arbitrarily use laws introduced after the coup to shut down websites they deem offensive to the monarchy or a threat to national security. Recent acts of state censorship include the blocking of YouTube and efforts to take to task the owners of the website of the Saturday Voice group which put up an online petition to seek the removal of Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda.

The internet and the policing of its content is a dilemma that governments across the globe are facing. Thailand, as yet, does not have any specific Internet laws. A proposed bill on cyber crime is currently under consideration by the National Legislative Assembly but as it stands, it poses a considerable threat to free speech and places far too much unchecked power in the hands of the authorities, giving the government the right to shut down any website without having to make a case to gain approval through the courts.

Unfettered censorship of the internet and the continued prevalence of entrenched self-censorship through fear and confusion are the greatest barriers we face in ensuring our right of access to information, research and discourse, as well as basic press freedoms and open discussion. It is vital that such basic freedoms of discussion and access to information are championed because without them, none of our other rights and freedoms can ever be guaranteed.

Bangkok Post

Friday April 06, 2007