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Thailand Lifts Ban on YouTube

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

August 31, 2007, 1:43 PM

A four-month ban on YouTube in Thailand was lifted on Friday, its government said. The prohibition on the Web site was lifted after the site's officials agreed to monitor and remove any videos that may be against the country's laws or found offensive by Thais. The issue started in April when YouTube refused to remove videos that were derogatory toward King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

A Thai spokesperson said that the video site had created a program that prevents offensive clips from being displayed to Thai users. Google said that it respected the King, and "likewise respect Thailand's law and tradition and hope that we will be able to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to the current controversy."

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By bskdopeboy

posted Sep 4, 2007 - 12:07 PM

WTF are you all talking about?!?!?!?! Thailand is a struggling country, full of poverty and homelessness. Things people would do for money in a place like that is beyond what you can imagine. The King of Thailand gives as much as he can to the country and is therefore respected and loved be probably 99% of the population! A friend of mine dropped a Thai Baht note when we visited last year, he stepped on the note to stop it blowing away and someone slapped him for standing on the King's face!!!

You can't get into the heads of the Thai people or understand how they feel, so let them get on with it, and worry about where YOU live.

Any Americans thinking that they live in a better place, omg........ WAKE THE F**K UP!!! Take a deep breath and a gulp of coffee and take a long look at how f**ked up your country is before taking the piss out of someone elses.

Score: 0

By imafurby

posted Sep 4, 2007 - 6:06 PM

Royalty = Hate Crime

Score: 0

By GS5

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 6:23 PM

How about banning the illegal child prostitution that's so popular there in Thailand. Pedophiles travel from all over the world just to abuse kids that are barley out of diapers. There's nothing on YouTube that's worse than what those kids as young as 5 years old have to go through everyday.

Phucking Hypocrites!

Score: 0

By c4p0ne

posted Sep 1, 2007 - 1:58 PM

f*ck the 'king'. That sh*thead probably gets the 5y olds delivered directly TO him. And that child prostitution is sickening, I definitely agree on that wholeheartedly. god d*** subhumans! I should start my own youtube documentary on Thai child-prostitution rings for all the world to see. F*ck around' cut that toursim down to 1%. Choke that b*stard economy.

Well that probably wouldn't work though, they'd just raise the prices of 5-10y olds 500% to make up for it.

Score: 0

By billweh

posted Sep 4, 2007 - 2:47 PM

I thought this comment - in the link posted by skrybe:

"A widely accepted Thai view is that the well-being and tranquility of the nation mostly depend upon the morality of the ruler and the ruled. In this connection, the Thai people can consider themselves blessed since, throughout His reign, His Majesty has lived a virtuous life and devoted Himself to promoting public welfare, both material and spiritual."

Can take this to mean that Thai people consider child prostitution to be a moral and virtuous way of life???

"...His Majesty has launched a multitude of development projects alleviating disease, promoting a better rural economy, and preserving and protecting Thailand's natural environment."

Don't see anything here about stopping the slave trade (aka prostitution ring) going on here.

Score: 0

By skrybe

posted Sep 2, 2007 - 11:04 PM

That is a ridiculous statement, it's like saying Bush is responsible for anything bad that happens in the US, or Queen Elizabeth is responsible for anything bad happening in the UK.

Honestly, blame the sick people who *want* it. Don't assume everyone in the country is like that. Jeez.

Score: 0

By Avion Airplane

posted Sep 1, 2007 - 10:45 AM

Amen to that !

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 2:06 PM

Google said that it respected the King, and "likewise respect Thailand's law and tradition and hope that we will be able to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to the current controversy."

I don't.

Thank God I live in a country where I am free not only to have my own opinion, but to voice it as well.

Score: 0

By notbeinguseful

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 8:19 PM

You're entitled to your opinion, but believe it or not, there are some things that we Americans respect enough in our culture to throw a fit.

Think about all the backlash the Wardrobe Malfunction received. Now we have the 30 second time buffer on live TV events. That's censorship too.

When South Park depicted a statue of the Virgin Mary bleeding out of her vagina, enough groups complained to Comedy Central that they do not air that episode anymore.

Respect is the main issue here. If I take off my shoes and put them on your coffee table, you might take offense, even if I always do the same thing in my own house. It's my job to understand what the rules in your house are so I don't offend you.

Likewise, it's the job of international corporations to understand international cultures, because they want to be good guests.

Score: 0

By Avion Airplane

posted Sep 1, 2007 - 10:48 AM

Likewise, it's the job of international corporations to understand international cultures, because they want to be good guests.

oh please........ thats left wing crap.... Its all about making money

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Sep 2, 2007 - 11:47 AM

I think he meant that.

They have to be good guests to make the money.

Score: 0

By dhjdhj

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 6:22 PM

What country would that be?

---->Thank God I live in a country where I am free not only to have my own opinion, but to voice it as well.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 7:02 PM

Pick one of several:

Canada, UK, USA, etc...

I said "a" country, not "the" country.

Score: 0

By Avion Airplane

edited Aug 31, 2007 - 5:32 PM

Google said that it respected the King, and likewise respect Thailand's law and tradition and hope that we will be able to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to the current controversy.

Google is worried about how much money they will loose

Score: 0

By -Viper-

posted Sep 3, 2007 - 8:31 AM

What do you expect google's a business not a charity. Very few companies are out to better the world over there own pocket. Welcome back to reality.

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Aug 31, 2007 - 4:23 PM

IT's like a Jonestown cult there:

the king has no real legal power, yet...

Score: 0

By skrybe

posted Sep 2, 2007 - 11:08 PM

Nice well informed comment... read this

http://www.thaiembdc.org/monarchy/monarchy.htm

Score: 0

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