Today New Mandala readers are reporting that some of our content is blocked in Thailand. According to one comment the relevant error message (but not on every ISP) looks like this. My translation:
Access to this information is temporarily curtailed through the powers of the State of Emergency decree 2005, by order of the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations.
Further information from readers in Thailand experiencing problems accessing our content would be helpful. Is the blocking widespread?
Blocked on TOT service in Chiang Mai.
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I’m still connecting to you (2 pm Bangkok time). I checked because Political Prisoners in Thailand has just become blocked within the last hour.
The URL includes “CAPO”, the acronym of CRES’s predecessor.
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Thanks BKK Lawyer,
But what happens when you click on this?
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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I can access it both from home (using True) and the office in Bangkok.
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Nich: I get a blank, untitled page — no block message, no error message — as if the page doesn’t exist.
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Thanks BKK Lawyer and R. Duke,
Like in the past it appears that any efforts to block New Mandala content are incomplete and inconsistent. Further information from readers is, as ever, very welcome.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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Nicholas I get the April 23rd article on a member of the royal family. Erewhon
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Nicholas Farrelly, guess you’re on True then. Another one on CRES blockage list. If you’d try to access Samesky(where Prof Somsak resides) in the past year, you’d be well-equip to deal with this anyhow.
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Thanks everyone,
Just to clarify, Leeyiankun; the issue is that we’re in Canberra and pinging servers in Bangkok (or wherever) to decipher these kinds of blockages is an inaccurate business. Indeed if we didn’t get the initial notifications then I wouldn’t even know that there are issues. Happily most of you aren’t experiencing any problems. But if that changes the best option is probably to e-mail us with details…
And please continue to add comments here about any locations/ISPs that are being blocked (and the symptoms: notification pages, blanks, time outs, etc). Thanks for all your help!
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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2.09 pm, still assessable via TOT broadband in Bangkok.
Even if it is blocked, readers can easily get access by going into http://reader.google.com and hitting “Add subscription.” Past the New Mandala URL in, and you can read the articles. Although you can’t make or read comments.
You can also conveniently install censorship-bypassing tools like Ultrasurf, although the military has blocked access to the Ultrasurf website as well. This short writeup tells you how to bypass the blocks and install the software: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AT9EBb3GC00xZGQyZ2puOV8xMzNkeHdkdmNjZw&hl=en
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I can get you loud and clear in Malaysia. Regards and take care.
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No problem here . . . I could access NM b/s from Bangkok anytime like right now.
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On TOT Bangkok 2:44pm Friday – The crown prince article is blocked
“This website has been blocked by ICT”
But other pages are fine.
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Well with the inflammatory one-sided stuff you’re publishing, surprised?
How about some balanced reporting?
Hot debate. What do you think? Quality comment or not?
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I am in Italy and could not see any new content on your website from May 16 to May 19. Yesterday new content became visible again.
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If I try to access the provided Link to the article of the Prince I get the normal ToT blocked msg.
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I can no longer access the article linked without using an IP-mask here in Bangkok. All other articles seem accessible.
At least New Mandala gets the CRES url rather than what Spring News TV gets, i.e. the Houseplant of State Censorship: http://58.97.5.29/ict.html
Many thanks for your hard work on the site.
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Blocked by CRES via True at 2:55 BKK Time.
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Maybe the ISPs blocking NM posts selectively are the same ISPs that blocked facebook and twitter the first night of the curfew, while other ISPs didn’t. Is there consistency?
Are there ISPs that defy the government?
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Still full access here using TOT ADSL service in Chiang Rai.
Thank you Nick and Andrew for providing us Thais with wonderful insights and analyses. Keep up the good work!
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Nich (c4)
First time I clicked that link, I got the standard ICT message “This website has been blocked by ICT” (in English) plus Thai text in a blue/green-shaded box.
Second click took me through to the article. All subsequent clicks produce the original ICT message.
(TOT ADSL in Chiang Mai)
Tried alternative connection via cellphone (DTAC) – clicked straight through to the article.
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I’m using 3B, works fine
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In Firefox: blank page here (in Bkk) on true network. On Safari: Error message request to sent bug report to apple report
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Many websites are blocked but not New Mandala (so far 16.00)!! Thanks. I get access to many good articles through your websites. I use Loxinfo, AIS, TTT system. I am in Chiang Mai.
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Nich – 4
But what happens when you click on this?
Nich I get the “This website has been blocked by ICT” banner. Is it just a page or pages about the Royal family that’s being blocked? In the current posts I don’t think I’m being blocked.
Censorship isn’t very nice whatever side you support.
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They are doing this because they now see the real, ever-closer danger that their “Thailand’ is going to break up.
I.e. Lanna and Isaarn are going to break free.
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confirmed as censored, plain blocking as a 404 page, there is a variety ob different censorship measures that i could identify.
-silent block that looks like page is not available (404)
-isp level block, i.e. TRUE http://58.97.5.29/court.html
-redirect to cres website http://58.97.5.29/www.capothai.org/
-redirect to mict website http://w3.mict.go.th/
-redirect to “the fern” http://58.97.5.29/ict.html
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Location Central Bangkok.
ISP: TOT
Partial block for New Mandala (http://118.175.8.61/ block, This website has been blocked by ICT)
Thai Political Prisoners took forever to be blocked anyway.
(http://118.175.8.61/ block, This website has been blocked by ICT)
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Nicholas,
I am with True, so far none of the articles have been blocked, however when I click on “this” I get an internal server error. The only problem I have is with New Mandala being very slow to load at times.
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That link in #4 is blocked by TOT here in Nara. It redirects to http://118.175.8.61/ and gives a notification from one ICT. I have screencaps with time/date if anyone needs.
That was a thought-provoking article. Funny they’d block it…
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Thanks for all of these rapid and helpful comments:
There now seems little doubt that, for the first time as far as I know, a page of New Mandala is consistently unavailable via (at least some) Thailand-based ISPs. Thanks to everyone who has provided their information and feedback. If anybody out there discerns other relevant details then please feel free to add them to this thread.
In particular, information about other sites/pages that are being blocked (particularly for the first time) is very welcome.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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Nicholas,
Political Prisoners in Thailand has been blocked by the ICT Ministry which means there is no court order, just the minister deciding in her infinite wisdom (even though she can’t understand English) that Thais are not educated enough to make up their own mind.
Roger
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I got the same message in red yesterday when I tried to access a jazz blog site yesterday, although it has since cleared.
Some used to condider jazz subversive, devil’s music etc. etc.
Now NM! Whatever next?
I can access all of the site here in Bkk.
An alternative ‘message’ I have seen is a small picture of a green fern frond, yes the plant, situated in the top left of the screen. I got this when I tried to find some phots. and other links posted here and elsewhere.
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Just to clarify something to my previous post – the green fern was the picture of choice used by the government before the current crisis. The red message is obviously more recent and cites as follows:
Access to this information. Suspended temporarily
By virtue.
Emergency Decree on Public Administration.
In emergency situations, BE 2548.
The command center of the emergency situation.
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@Chris Beale £26:
“They are doing this because they now see the real, ever-closer danger that their “Thailand’ is going to break up. I.e. Lanna and Isaarn are going to break free.”
I wish that were really on the cards, I really do, but I doubt it, the consequences would just be too onerous.
I do think however that the rice farmers in Issaan and the north, ought to show their displeasure at the government by simply refusing to sell their rice to the government, nor to any company that supports, has contributed or has influence with the government.
Nor indeed to any of the bandit middle-men that have been fleecing them for decades. A partial return to barter perhaps, with closer links to Lao and Cambodia.
Nothing will hurt the amart more than hitting them in the wallet. Take their rice-bowl away and don’t give it back until they learn to behave properly.
The government would be in real trouble.
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@Chris Beale £26:
“They are doing this because they now see the real, ever-closer danger that their “Thailand’ is going to break up. I.e. Lanna and Isaarn are going to break free.”
I wish that were really on the cards, I really do, but I doubt it, the difficulties would just be too onerous.
I do think however that the rice farmers in Issaan and the north, ought to show their displeasure at the government by simply refusing to sell their rice to the government, nor to any company that supports, has contributed to or has influence with the government.
Nor indeed to any of the bandit middle-men that have been fleecing them for decades. A partial return to barter perhaps, with closer links to Lao and Cambodia.
Nothing will hurt the amart more than hitting them in the wallet. Take their rice-bowl away and don’t give it back until they learn to behave properly.
I suspect the government would be in serious trouble.
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3BB in Chiang Mai the link you posted is blocked.
Same as BKKlawyer , a blank page
Thai political prisoners has also been blocked (could access last week).
Message on some pages, total blank on others for that site.
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Stuart Goddard – this is the start of a long, long Pattani-style war for independence by Isaarn.
It may take a generation or two – but it has now definitely started.
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Are you also aware that Pantip.com’s rajdumnern forum is offline in total, for the first time as of about a week ago.
Also very telling that a lot of us are using different names and anonymous details (including me!).
Would like to take this opportunity to thank the many journalists (both professional and amateur) who risked their lives in reporting on the ground, over the past weeks. So many great photos, narrative and details.
Without you all we never would have known what was really going on.
Well done guys, much appreciated!
I must admit though, with this type of scenario, censorship et al, I am not optimistic for Thailand’s future. It looks grim indeed. Until they learn to find some common ground with the opposition, room for discourse and ability to take criticism; the future is looking more totalitarian by the day.
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This post in not strictly related to the blocking of NM content and may have no sinister implications whatsoever of any malicious intent by the Government.
Earlier today I wanted to check an item which I read on the NNT site a few weeks ago. My software issued this warning:
“This web page at thainews.prd.go.th has been reported as an attack page and has been blocked based on your security preferences.Attack pages try to install programs that steal private information, use your computer to attack others, or damage your system. Some attack pages intentionally distribute harmful software, but many are compromised without the knowledge or permission of their owners.”
I have used the NNT site many times in the past and never had any problems.
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I’m sure some NM readers will have a response to this one…
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/thailands-real-road-to-freedom-starts-here/article1574712/
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Signore e signori,
I am experiencing no problems accessing the New Mandala ….. at the moment. It has been said that the ICT (Ministry of Information and Communication Technology) has made attempts in the past (19th of May) at blocking access for domestic users of both Facebook and Twitter here in Thailand. Also, a colleague of mine who belongs to the editorial board of the Bangkok Post has let me know that certain individuals within CRES would like to increase monitoring of all electronic traffic across the country. There is concern that the on-the-spot reporting and gritty photojournalism demonstrated by a number of intrepid individuals (Thais and foreigners alike) since the 13th of May will have a LONG-TERM negative impact upon the image/branding of the country. Do not forget that the Magic Kingdom is a TATocracy.
Which reminds me. I would like to draw the attention of the New Mandala community to the Wat Pathumwaran story. I know that you have heard about it but do not let it fall off your radar screens. The Office of the Prime Minister and CRES are worried about the looming PR fiasco that awaits and so are doing their best to craft a polished, substantiated, sound, Red Shirt “terrorists” are to blame cover story. The Thai mainstream media will not touch the incident until it has been provided a “lead” from the Thai government as well as “permission” from the Thai military authorities to do its job. Furthermore, do not be surprised if the body count increases. Please document and investigate the story to the fullest extent possible. There are witnesses, there is evidence and there are victims.
The powers that be are very adept at false flag operations. Do not underestimate their prowess or their ruthlessness or their reach.
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Hi all,
The page is also censored by TT&T here in Chiangmai.
Very often, the easiest way to bypass the internet filtering is to use Google Transate: http://translate.google.com/?hl=en
Paste the link, choose any language paired with English and, presto, you are there.
Here is how to do it :
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=af&tl=en&u=http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/04/23/why-king-vajiralongkorn-will-be-good-for-thai-democracy/
Regards
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JohnH // May 21, 2010 at 8:29 pm
“I got the same message in red yesterday when I tried to access a jazz blog site yesterday, although it has since cleared.
Some used to condider jazz subversive, devil’s music etc. etc.”
Rather ironic since HM is a world renowned jazz enthusiast. I think some explanation is called for…
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8:45 pm, Bangkok
Almost all the political websites are blocked even twitter. But still can receive twitter messege on mobile phone. Couldn’t watch Khun Pleum’s Daily Dose on Voice TV.
Am I in Burma?
Luckily, NM is still here for me.
If anybody knows Dan Rivers from CNN, please warn him, He might be in danger. His name has been repeatedly mentioned during the radio talk show in a very negative way. His news report was viewed as against Thai governmet. It’s a kind of provoking the listening and blame on Dan. This is serious than the letter because it reaches large group of listeners. Very scary. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Today in the afternoon, under Laoprao expressway, about 200 people gathered to talk and share feeling after the situation. What to do at home, couldn’t get anything on internet. We shared some cruel pictures from the crackdown, someone told us about the killing inside the temple after UDD leaders surrendered. It was a very peaceful gathering. Not long, the policemen came and told us that we broke the law, under the state of emergency we can’t get together more than 5 people and talk about politics. Then, about 100 special forces (to handle mobs and riots) came. Good thing, no guns. So, we had to go home.
Maybe, I’m in Burma after all.
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We use CAT Hi-net and neither NM nor the CP article are currently blocked.
However, PPT redirects to a CAPO blockpage. Prachatai generates a server error page.
We have also been informed that, during at least some of the emergency, FACTsite has been blocked for varying periods, first on True and then on CS-Loxinfo. We suspect TOT as well but, so far, never on CAT.
If we’ve been doing our job, everybody who wants to can get around the blocks. UltraSurf and other circumvention software are also blocked by some ISPs. Easy to circumvent and download the UltraSurf application. Has anyone used UltraSurf against Thai censorship?
Readers may have noticed MICT finally admitted to blocking more than 50K websites (we think that number is a bit low) but they have not been as thorough in blocking anonymous proxies.
Please let us know if your ISP appears to be blocking FACT and what happens. If there is blockpage, please send it. thanks.
facthaiATgmailDOTcom
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9.11 pm, both this thread as well as the main page (http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala) were still available. The “Assumptions about the next in line” post is also available. Links to Prachatai all blocked.
TOT DSL in Nonthaburi.
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JJ:
“Well with the inflammatory one-sided stuff you’re publishing, surprised?
“How about some balanced reporting?”
That’s it! MICT is looking for balanced reporting; anything else they block.
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Can get you no problem (in Phuket using Cat Telecom). That’s good, because I find the pro-Red stuff really very amusing, if naive.
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This Page Cannot Be Displayed
——————————————————————————–
This is the message I get.; I’m in Bangkok. True/TOT:
“Internal system error when processing the request for the page ( http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/04/23/why-king-vajiralongkorn-will-be-good-for-thai-democracy/ ).
Please retry this request.
If this condition persists, please contact your corporate network administrator and provide the code shown below.
——————————————————————————–
Notification codes: (1, INTERNAL_ERROR, http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/04/23/why-king-vajiralongkorn-will-be-good-for-thai-democracy/)
“
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All fine here, on True, Bangkok.
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No problem accesing NM ever in Thailand
Maybe NM would like to be cut but reality is it never was.
Reality is why would anyone cut NM? It is not exactly controversial or radical and nobody really pays much attention to what a bunch of aussies with little connection to the Thai poor or anybody else for that matter say. No point in cutting service to a non influential site although NM saying it was cut when it wasnt may be useful in kudos terms
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You can block some of the content for some of the people all of the time but you can’t block all of the content for all of the people all of the time.
Apologies to Abe Lincoln.
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Roger,
When it is slow to load, can you read the bottom of the screen. Look for the words http://www.mict. Do you see this?
For several month now, websites that i read have been intercepted in some way by The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. Not necessarily blocked. But tampered with in some way.
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Also, as a general point, I would like to say that the best defence against censorship is real names. Censorship does not like truth. It gets embarrassed.
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An ironic point. When I try to access Freedom against Censorship Thailand http://www.facthai.wordpress.com I cannot connect through TRUE internet. I get the “fern” which does not tell me anything.
But apparently it is accessible through other legal avenues in Thailand.
So is it an illegal website or are some government agencies acting illegally? One of these must be true. If it is illegal, those who do not ban it are acting illegally. If it is not true, those who do ban it are acting illegally.
I keep hoping for a consistent and accountable legal system.
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I used to use Ultrasurf to navigate the Net for at least a couple of years from Thailand. However, i began to find last year that Ultrasurf wasn’t working as near as well as it used to, especially in regards to watching blocked videos. In the olden days of blocked YouTube vids Ultrasurf was pretty good.
I am now using Free VPN and it works great. When downloaded (almost instantly) you’ll be given a list of servers ‘free’ or ‘paid’ mainly from the USA and Euro. Click on a free one with no ‘offline’ after it and you’ll be surfing immediately. Blocked videos also download as well as dowloading direct.
Search for “Free VPN download”
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Pasuk and Baker (WSJ article May 21) once again show how stupid, contradictory and shallow an analysis where they try to navigate an impossible middle ground where this no longer exists. Sure- they dont want to offend the amaat. They need them. But my question: why should Thaksin come back to serve a sentence unfairly imposed by a skewed and corrupt judiciary put there by the coup-makers? there is nothing “heroic” about accepting an unfair judgement for an offence that would at best get a slap on the wrist or a fine. Fairness cuts both ways. get real guys.
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Thomas Hoy,
I use an iMac and Safari which is normally instantaneous, however, the last few months NM has been slow to load. It just might be traffic.
As a retired person in Thailand it would be stupid to use my real name because then I would then be retired back in Australia.
Freedom of speech in Thailand depends on the whims of a nurse and her husband. The fern is from her; you are far too uneducated to make up your own mind, so she does it for you.
Roger
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Stuart Goddard (36)
And who do you propose they sell their rice to? I-San , which in many parts is only able to produce one paltry rice crop a year, is hardly the bread basket of Thailand. There’s a reason why ‘central’ Siam rose to prominence, centred initially around the fertile plains of Sukhothai and later Ayuthaya. I-San has never been in a position to dictate terms to anybody. That hasn’t changed. They are in no economic position to declare independence and go it alone. Their only choice is to force the urban elite into a new social contract within the existing economic sphere…by whatever means they deem appropriate (violence, is my best guess). There needs to be more equitable access across the existing the economic sphere – not a split of the existing sphere into unequal and independent pieces.
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Jim Taylor, why do you have the expecation that things ought to be fair? Since when has fairness/justice been achieved in any society let alone one in Southeast Asia? All privileged elites dislike democracy. Not just ones in Thailand. Just ask your colleague Prof. Downer! Isn’t it better to look at commentary on Thailand as part of the overall narrative, rather than some sort of tool overtly angling for social justice? Trying inoffensively to find the middle ground might actually end up helping to foster one. Pretty sure everyone over 40 needs to keep it real. Is your ardent support of one side over the other somehow less ridiculous?
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Re # 60
Glad to see Jim Taylor’s apt comments on Pasuk and Baker (WSJ article May 21).
Their commentry was rather one-sided asking Thaksin to forgo some of his billions while ignoring the vast hoard of wealth on the other side of the equation.
My dream solution for Thailand has long been that Thaksin should do a Buddha and give his vast wealth to the people, after all he has already given up his wife and we can forgive him and welcome him home.
The problem with that is the other side would grab the money and continue living their obscenely Hiso lifestyles building even more Central Worlds to parade around in.
But if Thailand could do a double Buddha with its wise and beloved monarch doing exactly the same as co-Buddha Thaksin the problem could be solved and Bangkok could become a Mecca for Righteousness rather than Sex and Shopping.
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Blocked on CSLoxinfo.
BkkReader, Pantip forum shut itself down voluntarily a while back because its board had degenerated into competing streams of abuse. Will be back.
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Yesterday (Friday) there was 1 article I couldn’t access, but could access the main page.
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I have no problem accessing. I am — ironically enough — accessing from a wireless connection in a government office in rural Isaan. Once those IT boys catch up on their backlog of file checking I imagine some poor bureaucrat here will have some explaining to do.
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The blocking message you cite is all over the place here in Thailand. Many Facebook sites, eg Prachatai, UDD, Gile Ungkaporn, then there’s Prachatai original site, Freedom Against Censorship in Thailand, Political Prisoners in Thailand (selected stories of a sensitive nature) and Google links to web proxy sites.
I access NM through Google Reader and still have problems, though not as many with you as with those cited above.
The only site which seems to be able to continue uninterrupted is Bangkok Pundit, whose long experience has made him/her an expert in staying one jump ahead.
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As of Thai time (14.23) Political Prisoners in Thailand remains blocked on True. A great shame as its excellent commentary and content perfectly complemented NM.
What a state of affairs!
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I’m having no problem at present (6:20pm), but a week ago I was being blocked on this site and numerous other sites – even Bangkok Post while other pro-government sites worked fine – The Nation, TNA, MCOT – even Google (but then I could not open any pages). That was the second time in a month or so it happened. It seems the MICT has figured out that it’s easier to track the IP of people they don’t like and block their individual access to certain sites at will (obviously with a compliant Thai ISP), than blocking the whole site for everyone else.
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I have True internet and around 9:30 p.m. both Facebook and Twitter were blocked. I got directed to that capo…..site showing a white screen and the red Thai writing about the SOE. I was able to go to Twitter via proxy servers (especially those without “proxy” in their URLs). I could log onto Facebook but never got my page up. Fortunately the block stopped about 90 minutes later.
Yesterday Facebook was blocked for about 10 minutes, this time with the little fern photo on the upper left of the screen. (Is that a subliminal suggestion blocking is a natural phenomenon?)
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Oops. In the previous post I intended to say that around 9:30 pm ON THE 19TH True blocked my internet for ~ 90 minutes. Sorry!
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can’t see some of those pages, here on true dsl in Bangkok… got the fern and a blank page for another link.
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I’m in a hotel in central Bangkok (off Sukhumvit), using their connection. Can access all NM content through a bookmark, but couldn’t click on Nicholas’ link above – got the red censorship banner. ISP seems to be Loxley Information Services (Loxinfo).
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In Chiang Mai via 3BB & TOT I cannot access this page directly but can via:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=af&tl=en&u=http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/05/21/new-mandala-temporarily-curtailed/
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Several on Facebook posted that adding an “s” to the http://, (i.e. https://), can also get around blocks. I haven’t tried it yet.
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NM is coming in like frozen molasses this morning. I tried the https:// option I mentioned in #77 which didn’t work. Neither did #44′s google translate URL.
The “NM temporarily curtailed” URL takes especially long to load and only a few of the comments come in. When I tried clicking on the “this” in Nicholas’ #4 post, I got a strange “cannot connect to this server” screen instead of the Fickle Fern of Fate or the red SOE message.
I’m writing this to you now from an anonymous server which I hesitate to list in case some vigilant Thai censor is now reading all NM posts and hurriedly trying to block everything individually. (Ain’t paranoia grand!) Do a google search of lists of free proxy servers and you’ll find one 4free. What a pleasure to experience how fast NM comes up in censorship-free countries!
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To echo Jennifer’s comments:
Since this morning, opening NM is akin to wading through a bog backwards wearing flip flops, on the wrong feet.
It has just taken me 20 mins. to get to here. Hope you guys appreciate the effort!
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John H
You don’t have to walk backwards through the blog in flip flops and feel frustrated! Just follow the instructions I gave in #78 (they’re subtle but any New Mandala reader can figure them out) and you’ll be soaring through cyberspace like an eagle!
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/telecom/178872/riots-spark-frenzy-on-net-pages
For a squeaky clean without much to say commentary on the proliferation of internet use over the past chaotic week, look no further than this edifying article, or maybe not.
However, whether a slip of the pen or missed by the sub editor, the writers, Sasiwimon Boonruang and Don Sambandaraksa, did acknowledge that government censorship does exist!
”The political unrest has given rise to many other Facebook groups as people use the website to express their political views without fear of government censorship.”
It’s a start, I suppose.
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Stuart #63 – while I agree with your economic history of why Isaarn has become dominated by the Central Plains and Bangkok,
I think you’re out-dated arguing Isaarn could n’t economically survive as an independent state.
It would simply have to open itself up much more to China and Vietnam, while trying to retain as many economic ties with the remaining Thailand, as possible.
Indeed, to some extent this is already happening along the Mekong basin – have you seen the amount of Chinese commerce in Vientianne and Udon Thani these days, despite the Thai economy still being very closed (in fact in some respects having become more so).
Stuart Goddard #36 :
Yes the consequences would be “onerous” .
And if it is at all possible, probably the best outcome is a more flexible, federal system where Isaarn stays within Thailand with less control from Bangkok. But de-centralisation has been talked about for decades now, with little or no result.
When I asked Marc Askew about this possiblity – pointing to Indonesia’s de-facto de-centralisation since Suharto, his reply was that “the Thai military would never accept it”.
Anyhow, Thailand seems to be going down the worst possible path – with very probably a Pattani-style insurgency taking root in Isaarn. We’re either past the point of no-return, or it’s one minute before midnight on that.
Pattani has been particularly “onerous” on the Thai military, which has been beaten to a stalemate by a far smaller number of insurgents than there are Reds in Isaarn.
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Jennifer –
Your ‘Fickle Fern of Fate’ tickled me – nice.
Thanks 4 your hint. I’m up and flying now.
John Soars with the Eagles
This morn. Monday Bkk 6am, NM is firing on all cylinders, but no proxies etc. required.
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This could just me or my browser or something i’m doing wrong, but wed-fri last week , and today, i don’t get any new NM postings – but they do show on the rss feeds. I have refreshed the browser (it’s firefox) but it appears as the days old page.
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Using different ISPs I have found the CP article to blocked either with the CRES message, an error message or a just a blank page. Giles’ article on the CP, on the other hand, gets the full potted plant treatment. They are probably trawling mechanically, since they have left all the other CP and HMK threads untouched.
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