Thailand : ICT to ‘hack & crack'
ICT to ‘hack & crack' foreign websites offensive to Thai supreme institution
17 March 2008
The Information and Communications Technology Ministry is to ‘hack and crack' foreign websites deemed offensive to Thailand's revered institutions.
A March 15 report in Krungthep Turakij newspaper (www.bangkokbiznews.com) quoted a source at the ICT that the ministry could pursue legal proceedings only with websites registered in Thailand, and is now planning a ‘hack and crack' programme to hack offensive websites hosted abroad and delete their contents, because the legal process would take too long.
"This approach may be somewhat illegal, but sometimes it might be worth it, if [the websites] are really unacceptable," the source said.
One website registered abroad has been found to advertise merchandise including calendars, dolls, bags, hats, glasses, watches, trousers and underwear, all with a logo of the Buddha meditating on a lotus, with the face of a dog. It was reported to have upset many Buddhists.
On March 14, ICT Minister Mun Patanotai said that he had called a meeting of investigators from the Department of Special Investigation, and Crime Suppression Division, and the ‘ICT cops'. ICT Minister's Secretary Sarawuth Petchpanomporn was assigned to coordinate the collection of evidence and ask the courts to block websites and prosecute owners who, if inside the country, are subject to fines and imprisonment under the 2007 Computer Crime Act.
If the offence is committed abroad, the Minister admitted that there were difficulties. However, the Ministry has so far asked for cooperation from the authorities in each country or website administrators themselves, who have cooperated in solving the problems or delete offensive material, particularly concerning Thailand's ‘supreme institution'.
"The ministry has 30 so-called ICT cops, so it is difficult to keep a thorough watch. We still have to rely on net surfers or webmasters to help, to solve the problem or notify the ministry of any irregularities," Man said.
Acting Director Booncherd Kittitharangkul of the Office of National Buddhism's Technology Centre said that on hearing the news he felt uneasy, and believed that it upset all Buddhists across the country.
The Technology Centre has found that the website has its server in California, USA, and the centre has twice asked the ICT Ministry in writing to shut down the website, but it is still online. The centre has also asked the Foreign Ministry's Information Department to address the problem through diplomatic means.
"If within one month the problem is still not solved, I will ask for cooperation from ‘internet cop' Pol Col Yanapol Yangyuen, Commander of Office of Technology and Information Cases under the Department of Special Investigation, to shut it down," said Booncherd. He added that his centre has cooperated with relevant agencies in shutting down 5 similar websites which made commercial use of Buddhist symbols.
Translated by Ponglert Pongwanan
Source: ไอซีทีเล็ง “แฮค & แครก” เว็บ ตปท. หมิ่นเบื้องสูง รับแม้ผิด กม. แต่ต้องยอมแลก
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