I’m sorry but Thailand’s new government is just plain stupid. I’m Thai so I can say this. The govenment is too stupid to manage the country. Blocking tons of websites and proxy’s is not the way to go in this free world. Thai people need to get together and stand against this action!

Mike, a few comments. I want to give this a little context. Of course, I think it’s as silly as everyone else the way this is being handled. I, for one, am tired of not being able to access YouTube at all.

But one thing should be clear: all this fuss is being made on behalf of the king. He is not directly involved, nor does he have any say in what sites the government blocks or who they sue. This is kind of like me suing you because you burned someone else’s house down. We needn’t attack the king for the government’s behavior.

The king has been on the throne for 60 years, but the absolute monarchy ended 15 years before that. Almost nobody who is alive anymore (which includes everyone in the current government) can really remember what it was like before the current king. At best, they were kids in 1946.

This all goes back to the trial of the Swiss fellow who got a 10 year sentence for defacing pictures of the king in public. Guess what? The king pardoned him almost immediately. He openly declares that he is fallible, and that people should be able to criticize him, so he can learn from their criticism. But those with the actual executive/legislative power continue to take things way too seriously.

Prior to the current king (Rama IX), the Thai monarchy was losing prestige. Rama VII, the current king’s uncle, was deposed, and he abdicated and lived the rest of his life in exile. Rama VIII, the current king’s older brother, was mysteriously shot dead at age 21, the circumstances for which have never been satisfactorily explained or accounted for. But with the help of clever Prime Ministers following World War II, the prestige of the monarchy was restored to astounding levels, partly through reviving rituals banned by Rama V decades earlier, such as having to crawl on one’s hands and knees when meeting with the king, as well as instituting new rituals, like playing the King’s Anthem before all public performances, during which the audience stands. All of this, of course, served to strengthen the government as a whole, which was necessary because ever since the overthrowing of the absolute monarchy, Thailand has been plagued with coup after coup (most bloodless, but a couple of turned violent).

The point is, this isn’t about money. At least, I don’t think so. It’s about power. It’s about maintaining the status quo. The last 60 years have seen incredible changes in worldwide international relations. Globalization, the entry into the information age, etc. Thailand has experienced all of this with the same monarch, who in a climate of political backbiting and powergrubbing, has been the glue that binds the country together. The Thai people are fiercely protective of their king, as they have been lucky to have a very good king (a recent gossipy book claiming the contrary notwithstanding), who has worked for many excellent causes–education, social work and development, the arts, living modestly within one’s means. The Thai people (and the government run by them) have not really had a chance to imagine yet (let alone experience) what the modern world would be like without him. Of course, the Thai people secretly dislike his son, the heir apparent. They gossip about him behind closed doors, because the tradition to never say bad things about the royal family is still very strong, and backed up by (overly) harsh laws. They call him a womanizer, gossip that he might have AIDS, talk about his wives and mistresses, how one of his ex-wives was supposedly arrested in Europe for having drugs on her, etc. etc. The commenter above who said the monarchy is going to end after the current king may well be right. But the Thai people absolutely adore the current king. People don’t gossip about him, behind closed doors. It is truly remarkable. Not to say that the king is beyond reproach, obviously we can’t say that about anyone, really. But Thailand will grow into its own, as soon as it is forced back into the real world. The king turns 80 this year, and while not in critical condition, his health may not be very good. It’s hard to know for sure, because even this is not widely reported on. While the Thai people love the queen and one of the princesses, HRH Princess Sirindhorn, with about the same level of adulation as Rama IX, it is clear that all is not well in the Land of Smiles. Things don’t bode well for the future of the monarchy, and given time, while I doubt we’ll see it utterly abolished, we may see it give the chance to die out with dignity.

And when that happens, Thailand will be a freer place. Right now, Thais can’t grasp the concept that their country would be better if people were allowed to openly criticize the king, because they can’t imagine why one would criticize the king, and therefore they don’t appreciate when anyone does. They overreact, obviously. But someday it will dawn on them. In fact, a lot of people already understand this. But we’re still dealing with a generation of national leaders who probably think the internet is a series of tubes and hoses. Thais give deference to the opinions of their elders and superiors, so it may be some time before more forward thinkers effect the necessary change. But it’s just that: a matter of time.

The country is “growing up” at its own pace. As frustrating as it is in the meantime, it’s necessary to have a bit of background to understand the social and political climate that all of this hoopla is happening in.

I’m with everyone else, though, in hoping steps forward come sooner rather than later.

Farang, well put. It’s smoke and mirrors by the new government to distract the people and maintain power as long as possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumibol_Adulyadej

This is interesting…often enough you see americans wear shorts or even underwears with the pattern of thier flag… but they have this law about burning flag saying it is their symbolic expression…so there is no a clear line of freedom of speech here for them while they are being touchy about their own issues but insensitive about others…. what about symbolic expression of other countries other cultures… don’t get into the topic of freedom of speech if yourself don’t really know what it is or you have to close one eye to mention it!

youtube is funny but it,s bad it has some good movies but some bad movies. I thot youtube is good but it,s bad. my frovrit movie is goofy goober rock. is that good?

this sucks