Foreigners must disclose website postings

[gjbkk]

.
Not sure if this is NEWS or an April fools joke

Foreigners must disclose website postings - translated and summarized from Matichon; April 1, 2009

New regulations in effect from April require foreign visa holders (whether tourist or those applying for B, M, or O-type visas) to disclose if they are owners of a website or intend to post information about Thailand on a website forum or blog.

Website owners who work in Thailand must possess a Thai business registration in the form of a limited partnership even if the site is hosted overseas.

If a visa-holder intends to post material to a website--including internet forums and blogs--the posting must first be approved by the Ministry of Culture. Forms for the approval process will be handed out with the Thai Immigration entry card upon arrival or approval can be submitted via an online form at the Ministry of Culture website.

Visa holders will also be required to install "Cyber Cop" program to ensure they abide by the new regulations that restrict the viewing of some websites within Thailand. This program will automatically upload the latest blocklists without the user having to do anything.

The Ministry will not use the new regulations to censor political speech. Instead, the Ministry is mainly focusing on material that might be of detriment to Thai tourism or the country's image in general.

More on Website censorship in Thailand

Source: 2Bangkok.com

[good2bhappy]

Not sure if this is NEWS or an April fools joke

got to be a joke
(even if they mean it)

[barbaro]

Millions use the internet. Millions come to Thailand. OK, inside Thailand you are supposed to notify the Thai about any site or forum that discusses the nation-state of Thailand?

A bit strange.

[Marmite the Dog]

What a crock of shit. The MoC can go and fuck itself.

[Begbie]

Does say April 1st folks

[Loy Toy]

And who's going to police or enforce these laws.......???????

[Moonraker]

I can see it now:

"Dear Sir.

I am writing to you in order to ask for permission to call Texpat a numpty on the teakdoor forum.

I look forward to your response.

Yours Sincerely

Moonraker"

[Super Swan]

April fools! It has to be.....not even this place can be that crazy.......surely....

[kingwilly]

including internet forums and blogs--the posting must first be approved by the Ministry of Culture. Forms for the approval process will be handed out with the Thai Immigration entry card upon arrival or approval can be submitted via an online form at the Ministry of Culture website.

fill in a form before you post !

[The Fresh Prince]

I got a text this morning from P'Now because he was concerned about a similar hoax (which he thought was real ha ha) on TVisa about an alcohol sliding window to commence on 16th April which said that bars had to close earlier and earlier throughout the week ending with them closed on Sat & Sun. What a wally!! All those TV knobends took it seriously aswell though. I read the first couple of pages of their drivvle and nearly became a member just to take the piss out of them. But I couldn't be arsed.

[Thetyim]

fill in a form before you post !

Will they have enough forms for all of Noodles nicks ?

[dirtydog]

ERCO = Protecting slagdogs all over the world

"Dear Sir. I am writing to you in order to ask for permission to call Texpat a numpty on the teakdoor forum. I look forward to your response. Yours Sincerely Moonraker"

Probably easiest to do this one as a petition and all those that want to call the numpty a numpty just signs the same form

[Happyman]

Phuket Gazette has a believable April 1st thing today as well -

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

More noise promised for beaches

The long-dormant tsunami warning towers at Patong Beach will soon be providing advertising. The new service is expected to gain wide acceptance and to draw far more tourists to Phuket's beaches.

PATONG, PHUKET: A special committee tasked with finding ways to generate more noise and extra revenue for Phuket is moving forward with a unique plan that would allow businesses to broadcast advertisements through the island’s existing network of 19 tsunami warning towers.

The project will be launched early next month in Patong, where the entire beach front is covered by warning towers that emit a siren sound and pre-recorded voice messages at an impressive 121 decibels. The record-breaking volume is achieved through the resonance of the towers, with each individual tower able to achieve sound saturation across a radius of at least 1,500 meters.

Committee chairman Boonterd Wattanatong told the Gazette yesterday that the idea was such an obvious one that he was surprised no-one had proposed it earlier.

“The beach, rather than the town or residential areas of Patong, was chosen for the pilot project because there is such intense competition for the tourist baht along the sand, yet the provincial government still refuses to allow billboards on any of Phuket's beaches," he explained.

“This really is a win-win situation for everyone, because it doesn’t make much sense to have these expensive, high-tech towers just sitting there doing nothing all the time – especially when they could be generating revenues for the province and customers for advertisers,” he emphasized.

Under the plan, advertisers will be able to buy broadcast time from 7am until 7pm. The approved charges are 480 baht for a 15-second spot, and 820 baht for 30 seconds. These prices are uniform throughout the day, with no variation based on time of day.

"All we care about is ensuring that the advertising runs all day without interruption, so that we maximize revenue for the province, Mr Boonterd says.

"People want lively, active beaches. The jet-skis have helped to create background noise, but neither they nor the sound trucks operating along the beaches are capable of generating the kind of volume tourists want."

Among businesses that have already expressed interest in purchasing broadcast time are a local Thai boxing stadium, a popular Patong discotheque, 11 tailor shops, a cinema, and a Rawai-based tattoo parlor.

Please join the the Phuket Gazette in wishing a Happy April Fools' Day to one and all – except Mr Boonterd.

[dirtydog]

The funny thing is both of those spoofs wouldn't suprise anybody if they were true.

[Happyman]

That the sad part !

[Super Swan]

Dont go giving them any ideas!!!

[dirtydog]

As kw and cmn bring down servers all over the world getting their posts translated

[good2bhappy]

The problem is, given what most of the jerks in govt say, you might think it was April 1st everyday

[filch]

I was talking to a colleague yesterday and debating what the daily's would have in today as their 'April 1st joke stories'. Like DD says, basically they could have printed anything completely outlandish and ridiculous regarding rules, new laws, politics etc... and they could quite easily been believable!

[gjbkk]

The problem is, given what most of the jerks in govt say, you might think it was April 1st everyday

it is especially if you read the Nation

[kingwilly]

As kw and cmn bring down servers all over the world getting their posts translated

huh you mean I have to backdate the permissions on all my posts?

[Marmite the Dog]

The funny thing is both of those spoofs wouldn't suprise anybody if they were true.

They're not?!

[chassamui]

Next thing you know they will be trying a wind up about an alcohol ban on songkran.