YouTube blocked in Thailand

The impasse between YouTube and the Thailand government on the issue pertaining to pages that contain clips offensive to Thailand’s revered monarch continues amidst public outrage.

Julie Supan, head of global communications for YouTube said, "While we will not take down videos that do not violate our policies, and will not assist in implementing censorship, we have offered to educate the Thai Ministry about YouTube and how it works."

YouTube is a popular free video sharing website which lets users upload, view, and share video clips. It uses the Adobe Flash technology to display video. Currently handling a monthly traffic of over 70 million users, the company was acquired by Google Inc. in October 2006 for US$1.65 billion.

Thailand had blocked YouTube on Wednesday after it refused to remove a slideshow of King Bhumibol Adulyadej juxtaposed with imagery deemed to be offensive.

The most insulting image to Thais was the imposition of a pair of woman's feet, the lowest part of the body, over the king's head. In Thailand feet are considered dirty and offensive.

Another clip, titled "King of the Apes", was posted by "thaifreespeech", showing pictures of King Bhumibol, regarded as semi-divine in largely Buddhist Thailand, with a monkey's face.

Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, the minister of information and technology, categorically stated that the site will remain blocked until all the contentious clips are removed. He claimed that he was an advocate of free speech but these videos were culturally insensitive and offensive. He declared that the government will not tolerate materials that offend the monarchy.

Sitthichai said, "I am waiting to hear from (YouTube) about what can be done. If YouTube can't suggest a solution that we can effectively implement, then we have no choice but to keep the ban."

Criticizing or offending royalty is a grave crime in Thailand. A few days back a Swiss national was imprisoned for 10 years for spraying graffiti on pictures of the king on his birthday in December.