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Thailand Warns Facebook After Video Seems to Show King in Crop Top Thailand Warns Facebook After Video Seems to Show King in Crop Top
(about 13 hours later)
HONG KONG — Facebook came under increasing pressure from Thailand’s government on Tuesday to remove dozens of pages from its servers, a few weeks after a video that appears to show the country’s new king walking through a shopping mall in a crop top was widely shared on the site.HONG KONG — Facebook came under increasing pressure from Thailand’s government on Tuesday to remove dozens of pages from its servers, a few weeks after a video that appears to show the country’s new king walking through a shopping mall in a crop top was widely shared on the site.
The standoff is the latest sign of a clampdown on online speech by a military junta that seized power in a 2014 coup, and the latest test for Facebook, which has struggled to balance local laws and cultural expectations with its core identity as a network where people are free to share ideas and news.The standoff is the latest sign of a clampdown on online speech by a military junta that seized power in a 2014 coup, and the latest test for Facebook, which has struggled to balance local laws and cultural expectations with its core identity as a network where people are free to share ideas and news.
It may also be a gauge of how aggressively the junta plans to enforce an existing lèse-majesté law — which makes it a crime to insult the king, the queen or the crown prince — under new leadership.It may also be a gauge of how aggressively the junta plans to enforce an existing lèse-majesté law — which makes it a crime to insult the king, the queen or the crown prince — under new leadership.
“The government’s moves to restrict Facebook indicate that it is solidifying ideologically around the monarchy, making it the cornerstone of its overall efforts to stem political freedom,” said David Streckfuss, the author of the book “Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté.” “The government’s moves to restrict Facebook indicate that it is solidifying ideologically around the monarchy, making it the cornerstone of its overall efforts to stem political freedom,” said David Streckfuss, author of “Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté.”
“Its main tactic will be to refashion this law, already much abused, into an offensive weapon designed to eliminate all forms of political opposition,” Mr. Streckfuss said. “Its main tactic will be to refashion this law, already much abused, into an offensive weapon designed to eliminate all forms of political opposition,” he said.
Takorn Tantasith, secretary general of Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, told reporters on Tuesday that 131 Facebook pages that were deemed to violate computer crimes or lèse-majesté laws had not yet been removed.Takorn Tantasith, secretary general of Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, told reporters on Tuesday that 131 Facebook pages that were deemed to violate computer crimes or lèse-majesté laws had not yet been removed.
He said that the government had obtained a court order to block 34 of the pages and was still working on the others, and that Facebook had agreed to cooperate. He did not say which pages or what was on them.He said that the government had obtained a court order to block 34 of the pages and was still working on the others, and that Facebook had agreed to cooperate. He did not say which pages or what was on them.
“We must thank Facebook for cooperating with us and complying with Thai law,” he said.“We must thank Facebook for cooperating with us and complying with Thai law,” he said.
The 44-second video that was shared in recent weeks appears to show King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, in a yellow crop top that exposed his tattooed back. A Facebook post in April by Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a prominent Thai historian and critic of the monarchy who lives in France, that featured the video has been viewed about 458,000 times.The 44-second video that was shared in recent weeks appears to show King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, in a yellow crop top that exposed his tattooed back. A Facebook post in April by Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a prominent Thai historian and critic of the monarchy who lives in France, that featured the video has been viewed about 458,000 times.
Mr. Somsak’s post has been blocked in Thailand, and neither the government nor Facebook has publicly said whether it was one of the 131 in question.Mr. Somsak’s post has been blocked in Thailand, and neither the government nor Facebook has publicly said whether it was one of the 131 in question.
This month, however, Mr. Somsak published what he said was a message about the post that he had received from a Facebook spokesman who identified himself as Tim. The message said that Thailand’s Digital Ministry for Economic and Social Affairs had sent the company a court order saying the post violated the Computer Crime Act.This month, however, Mr. Somsak published what he said was a message about the post that he had received from a Facebook spokesman who identified himself as Tim. The message said that Thailand’s Digital Ministry for Economic and Social Affairs had sent the company a court order saying the post violated the Computer Crime Act.
Also this month, the domestic news media quoted the Thai Internet Service Provider Association as saying that it would be forced to shut down Facebook by Tuesday morning if the company had not removed all 131 pages. That shutdown did not occur, and the standoff was not receiving much attention on social media in the country on Tuesday.Also this month, the domestic news media quoted the Thai Internet Service Provider Association as saying that it would be forced to shut down Facebook by Tuesday morning if the company had not removed all 131 pages. That shutdown did not occur, and the standoff was not receiving much attention on social media in the country on Tuesday.
The lèse-majesté law carries a maximum jail term of 15 years.The lèse-majesté law carries a maximum jail term of 15 years.
The king ascended to the throne in December, seven weeks after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October after reigning for seven decades. The king ascended to the throne in December, after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October after reigning for seven decades.
King Bhumibol was widely beloved by Thais who saw him as an advocate of the common people. King Vajiralongkorn, by contrast, has long maintained a lavish European lifestyle full of romantic intrigue, prompting critics to question whether he is suited for the monarchy. King Bhumibol was widely beloved by Thais who saw him as an advocate of the common people. King Vajiralongkorn, by contrast, once maintained a lavish European lifestyle full of romantic intrigue, prompting critics to question whether he is suited for the monarchy.
The video has been blocked in Thailand but was still available outside the country on Tuesday.The video has been blocked in Thailand but was still available outside the country on Tuesday.
Facebook, which opened an office in Thailand in 2015, declined to answer questions about its operations in the country or the pages that the government wants to remove. A spokeswoman, Clare Wareing, said only that the company’s policy was to comply with requests by governments to restrict access to content that officials believed violated local laws.Facebook, which opened an office in Thailand in 2015, declined to answer questions about its operations in the country or the pages that the government wants to remove. A spokeswoman, Clare Wareing, said only that the company’s policy was to comply with requests by governments to restrict access to content that officials believed violated local laws.
“When we receive such a request, we review it to determine if it puts us on notice of unlawful content,” Ms. Wareing said in an emailed statement. “If we determine that it does, then we make it unavailable in the relevant country or territory and notify people who try to access it why it is restricted.”“When we receive such a request, we review it to determine if it puts us on notice of unlawful content,” Ms. Wareing said in an emailed statement. “If we determine that it does, then we make it unavailable in the relevant country or territory and notify people who try to access it why it is restricted.”
Facebook has faced political blowback in the region for posts on its social network.Facebook has faced political blowback in the region for posts on its social network.
In Indonesia, for example, a proliferation of political propaganda and fake news on the site over the past year led to government calls for the company to do more to control the problem. And in Vietnam, the government demanded Facebook’s help in tamping down fake accounts and other posts it said violated its laws.In Indonesia, for example, a proliferation of political propaganda and fake news on the site over the past year led to government calls for the company to do more to control the problem. And in Vietnam, the government demanded Facebook’s help in tamping down fake accounts and other posts it said violated its laws.
In Thailand, Facebook has done its best to show respect to sensitivities around the monarchy. After King Bhumibol’s death, the network completely suspended advertisements in Thailand on its site for a week.In Thailand, Facebook has done its best to show respect to sensitivities around the monarchy. After King Bhumibol’s death, the network completely suspended advertisements in Thailand on its site for a week.
Yet the government’s new demands have presented a distinctly new challenge for the company: While it can say it is following local laws in taking down videos of the king, its actions may embolden other world leaders to expect the same treatment.Yet the government’s new demands have presented a distinctly new challenge for the company: While it can say it is following local laws in taking down videos of the king, its actions may embolden other world leaders to expect the same treatment.
Facebook’s website says that, after requests from the Thai Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, it restricted 40 pieces of content from last July to December that reportedly violated lèse-majesté laws, up from 10 in the previous six months.Facebook’s website says that, after requests from the Thai Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, it restricted 40 pieces of content from last July to December that reportedly violated lèse-majesté laws, up from 10 in the previous six months.
Thailand’s military junta, which seized power from a democratically elected government, has frequently used the 2007 Computer Crime Act to prosecute those who criticize it on social media platforms. It also passed a new version of the law in December that Human Rights Watch said would tighten the “chokehold” on online expression there.Thailand’s military junta, which seized power from a democratically elected government, has frequently used the 2007 Computer Crime Act to prosecute those who criticize it on social media platforms. It also passed a new version of the law in December that Human Rights Watch said would tighten the “chokehold” on online expression there.
In late April, Mr. Takorn of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission was quoted by The Bangkok Post as saying that internet service and gateway providers should block websites that carry illicit content and inform the government whether the sites were being encrypted abroad.In late April, Mr. Takorn of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission was quoted by The Bangkok Post as saying that internet service and gateway providers should block websites that carry illicit content and inform the government whether the sites were being encrypted abroad.
“Despite good cooperation between the regulator and the ministry to prevent illicit content on websites over the last two years, the government hopes for more, and expects better” results by May, he said.“Despite good cooperation between the regulator and the ministry to prevent illicit content on websites over the last two years, the government hopes for more, and expects better” results by May, he said.
Last week, the commission said that it had previously identified about 6,900 web addresses that required blocking, including about 600 total from Google, Facebook and YouTube. Google and YouTube had removed the addresses of their own accord, the commission said, and Facebook removed 178 of the 309 Facebook pages that the government had cited, also of its own accord. But 131 other Facebook pages were encrypted, it said, so it would seek the company’s help. Last week, the commission said it had identified about 6,900 web addresses that required blocking, including about 600 total from Google, Facebook and YouTube. Google and YouTube had removed the addresses of their own accord, the commission said, and Facebook removed 178 of the 309 Facebook pages that the government had cited, also of its own accord. But 131 other Facebook pages were encrypted, it said, so it would seek the company’s help.