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Thailand/YouTube War Rages On; Censorship Provokes More Ridicule
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There's nothing like censorship to spur creativity. After Thailand's government banned YouTube last week because of a video on the site that mocked the country's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a deluge of new satirical videos have flooded the web in the last few days.
The war of words and videos is currently raging on YouTube, with numerous clips – both for and against Thailand's king –and vociferous insults being exchanged on the site's comments sections. ("Dear Thailand: Do you like our 'stupid' Internet occidental sites? Then, you must eat our 'stupid' occidental freedom of speech.")
In Thailand, newspaper columnists and commentators have praised the ban, saying YouTube should respect cultural sensitivities, and not allow videos that would be considered illegal in Thailand, reports the Washington Post. Insulting the monarchy is a crime in the country.
As of Tuesday, several crude, but effectively offensive videos such as "Bhumibol Adulyadej 2 - King of the apes!", "Thailand Censorship Response," which depicts painted clown faces on several world leaders, and "The Thai King Show" remain on YouTube. After doing a search on the site for "Thai king," more than a thousand videos show up.
One creator called "globalwarminglie" who posted an anti-Thai video called "Bhumibol Adulyadej 2" even included a legal challenge with his clip:
"You, 'globalwarminglie' and/or any person acting in the name of 'globalwarminglie,' hereby be NOTIFIED that your video clip in the above title regarding the people of Thailand and their King posted by you on your YouTube account has been considered abuse of free speech causing damage in, but not limit to, reputation and mental distress of persons or groups of people.... LegalActionAgainstAbuse ("LAAA"), therefore, DEMANDS you completely and immediately REMOVE the video clip and other related video/audio clips used, distributed, created and/or posted by you. Otherwise, appropriate legal actions will be initiated against you and your affiliates under appropriate laws and jurisdictions."
But the legal threat probably won't stop any of those posting videos. As another shrewd YouTube user wrote, "As usual, the outcry for censorship only provokes more ridicule!"
Likely to add further fuel to the debate, the A.P. reported yesterday that the political chat room of the Thai Web site pantip.com – which has criticized leaders of the September coup and military-installed new Thai government -- was also closed in recent days.
A video service on the otherside of the world cannot be asked to make a judgement call on the internal social norms of another nation. Case in point: Just suppose their was a nation with a bad king? Would people expect Youtube to delete derogatory material in this theater of analogy. I think not.
The answer is easy - If offended, don't view it.
I would say though it's good for the government to keep banning the websites and everything. Pretty soon the people may rise against its policy if this keeps happening. Recently http://images.google.co.th has been banned.
Sarit undertook to abrogate a law decided by Phibun limiting the concentration of land and which directly threatened the property interests of the royal family. In exchange, on the day of the coup d’État, the king named him “defender of the capital” then sent him a message of encouragement and support.
It was on this occasion that a ritual whose objective is to muzzle popular protests against the dictators was introduced. When the king has given his support, his subjects can only obey. In the future, practically all coups would be organised with the benediction of the king, which allows him incidentally to influence the choice of dictators......"
"From their childhood, young Thais are systematically indoctrinated in school and in families in respecting “the king, religion, and the nation” as it was put by King Chulalongkorn at the beginning of the 20th century.
Secularism and the republic (as well as freedom of speech) are concepts which are unknown and dangerous because they are illegal.
This brainwashing which now relies on modern means of communication and on a cult of the royal family renders critical thought and the exercise of democratic liberties impossible.
How can equality be conceptualised and demanded when one has to respect the numerous hierarchies existing and when one is a subject of the king and not a citizen?"
The king of Thailand is nothing more than a branch of the elite interests that control Thailand. His popularity was created through cynical PR, assisted by a powerful US presence. The US concern in Thailand is obvious, providing a stable platform with which to launch and facilitate past (Vietnam) and perhaps future (North Korea) military endeavors. Most Thais know nothing of their actual history, being heavily indoctrinated from birth with a mythical version that keeps them ignorant of the obvious power structures which control and manipulate their economy, daily lives, culture and world view.
Yes, many Americans also have a mythical world-view. However, there are also many there who know better than to believe everything they are told in elementary school and who question their government and "king". Thailand, at best, has a few isolated intellectuals who have any idea what's going on in their country.
Furthermore, if Thais truly honored their King they would behave sensibly and aim their concerns at the rampant corruption, nepotism, cronyism and pandemic culture of prostitution which have left their country in shambles.
"The establishment of the current version of the monarchy was organised in concert by the US and the military so as to strengthen national unity and political stability. It was pursued actively starting from 1957, by the dictator of the time, Sarit, six years after the return of the new king, Bhumibol, to Thailand; A new ceremonial was created so that the king could claim a convincing moral and political legitimacy. In contrast to the kings of the beginning of the century who sought to incarnate modernity by adopting “western values” and rarely appeared in public, medieval rituals were updated and king Bhumibol made many tours of the provinces, where he sponsored works of charity and agricultural development projects. That allowed him to become popular in a country where social protection was then non-existent and to appear as the defender of poor peasant. The general Sarit used the growing popularity of the king to render legitimate the coup he organised in 1957 to overthrow Phibun."
You are very disrespectful and most likely americans. Always sticking you nose where it doesn't belong, you have no understanding of culture and no clue what is going on in your own country.
So you should stick to what you know best, fast food you mind control puppets. This video is very disrespectful and 10 years is nothing, at least he didn't lose his life. You only think you have freedom, but as far I can see you are all still effing peasants. You have a king who does not love you, you just are to doped up with tv and drugs to freakin know it.
do you even know where Thailand is on a Map?
If anything, they should be making videos against the ICT minister... who has been banning websites left and right that are against the current ruling military Junta.
But these people will continue to insult our King because it gives them views on Youtube. Controversy fuels fame after all. It is a sick, low way to try to gain fame on the Internet.
