FACT Halloween special: The man behind Thailand’s YouTube block talks to FACT about lèse majesté and what makes him tick.
October 31, 2010
Emilio Estéban is hardly a household name, even in arch-Royalist circles. However, he has some notoriety in Thailand, where most Royalists try to pin a fantastic anti-monarchy movement around him.
Emilio created the YouTube channel StopLeseMajeste and StopLeseMajesteTV, though he claims this was not the deciding factor in Thailand’s military coup govt blocking YouTube for seven months in 2007. At one point, more than 125 anti-monarchy(?) video links appeared on MICT’s blocklists. Parent company, Google, eventually capitulated to the first country to block YouTube wholesale, created geolocational blocking and taught the Thais how to use it.
This glimpse into the life of Emilio Estéban doesn’t really do him justice. My few questions were simply to start a conversation we hope will continue. He’s decided he’s a Red—los camisas rojas.
We’d like to know more about what makes him tick. Is what makes him tick a roadside bomb, a driveby shooting or a suicide vest? You don’t need to agree with Emilio but you do need to agree to his right to free expression without censorship.
Regardless of the bad taste of the YouTube videos, you must ask yourself: If you love the King, is a YouTube video really going to change your mind?
CJ Hinke
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
1) Tell us a bit about your background.
The DSI can give you more information about my background than I can. They’ll probably make it sound more interesting too.
2) When did you first visit Thailand and what were your experiences?
At this precise moment I can’t remember the exact date, and I’m certainly not going to describe my “experiences”.
3) Why did you become interested in Thailand’s monarchy?
I’m not in the least bit interested in Thailand’s monarchy, but I started doing research on the subject because Thai royalists encouraged me to.
4) What did you discover about the monarchy?
Are you serious?! One is a lesbian, the other a drunk, there’s a playboy, a porn star… want me to go on?
5) What led you to create content against the monarchy’s excesses?
I did it because the anti-free speech royalist lobby were arguing that the monarchy was “revered” just to justify lese majeste law. Now I know the real reason why Thai people don’t criticise their monarchy. It is because they are terrified of going to prison for 15 years.
6) Are you aware of other efforts against the monarchy?
I’m not fighting against the monarchy, I’m arguing against lese majeste law. But the monarchy’s worst enemy is the present regime. Not to mention royalists who advocate arresting people for trivial lese majeste “crimes”. I also understand that the present army chief is doing an excellent job dragging the monarchy into the political arena.
7) Are you part of any organised group or affiliated with anyone else?
NO, I’m not part of any “organised” group. But I’m a Red shirt sympathiser and I belong to the Paddidda movement. I greatly admire Giles Ji Ungpakorn, Da Torpedo and Robert Amsterdam [FACT: We can’t really get behind this one. Amsterdam is a fatcat wannabe profiting off tinpot dictators, including Thaksin.]. My heroes are “DieDieChakri” from Youtube, Sulak Sivaraksa, because apart from myself and Giles he is the only other person openly calling for the abolition of lese majeste. I also respect the guys at Norporchor USA who provide me with lots of smut on the royals.
8) The heart of the matter: We assume that you created content or distributed content on YouTube which led to Thailand’s total ban on Youtube for seven months in 2007. Comments on that?
False. I joined the Paddidda movement in September 2007, by which time Youtube had already been blocked. But I did re-upload copies of those original videos and made many of my own. I also uploaded these early videos to my StopLeseMajeste blog.
9) You were anonymous for a long time following the StopLeseMajeste videos posted to YouTube. When and how did the Thai govt find your name and nationality.
False. I always included my first name “Emilio” in my Youtube StopLeseMajeste channel. But the Thai junta discovered my full identity with the help of Spanish police who traced me to an internet cafe using SITEL. They photocopied my passport and secretly sent my e-mail details to Thailand. Some days later, the DSI arrested my friend Nat Sattayapornphisut. They also discovered the letters Suwicha Thakor had written to me.
10) Certainly your videos were the explosion that began unprecedented discussions on Thailand’s monarchy. Is that a good thing?
I’m glad you think that. Thailand’s junta refuse to acknowledge our contribution to the debate on the monarchy. Instead they say that it was only the 2006 coup which stated the ball rolling on this issue, but anti-censorship organisations like FACT know it was the Paddidda movement on Youtube which started it all. BTW, we continue to be at the forefront on the issue of political prisoners and lese majeste, which is why the PAD want the regime to squash us. We’re still making / uploading videos to Youtube and we have our own publication called The Daily Skipper.
Yes. But as long as these monarchs respect human rights and don’t send innocent people to prison for lese majeste, I will keep my opinions to myself.
12) What hopes do you have for Thailand in future? Do any of Thailand’s political movements give you hope, and why? Or is Thailand completely hopeless in the foreseeable future?
Thailand’s meddling monarchy is damaging the nation, both at home and abroad. Thai people need to overcome their “anti-royalist” complex and democratically challenge both the monarchy and lese majeste law, in a non-violent way. Such action could provoke a virulent backlash from sections of the army and fanatical royalists, but ordinary Thai people cannot lose if they use only peaceful means. The world’s media loves stories of “injustice” and despotic tyrants who do not know the meaning of the word “righteousnes”.
There’s a gentleman in Thailand who loves quotations, well here’s one for Thai people: Behind every fear is a right.
FACTflash: MICT to close 46,000 more websites for lèse majesté
Manager: October 29, 2010
http://www.manager.co.th/Crime/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9530000152398
This is the first govt announcement of further Internet censorship since July.
Buried in Manager’s propaganda, we learn that the new Army commander has signed a memorandum of understanding with the ICT minister and the ministers of justice and culture. The MOU specifies 43,000 websites to be blocked immediately and 3,000 pending.
Govt has no plan to left the state of emergency but they seem to be blocking as fast as they can in case the situation reverts to ‘normal’ and they must once again seek court orders for blocking under the Computer Crimes Act 2007.
Relying solely upon previous govt media releases totalling 210,110 websites, Thailand is now blocking 256,110 websites.
[Excerpt]
| ซึ่งเมื่อได้ฟัง ท่าน ผบ.ทบ.ออกมาพูดเช่นนั้น จึงอดนึกถึงภาพข่าว เมื่อวันที่ 18 มิ.ย.2553 ไม่ได้…โดยภาพข่าววันนั้น เป็นการ จับมือกันของ 3 รัฐมนตรีพรรคประชาธิปัตย์ ที่ประกอบด้วย”นายจุติ ไกรฤกษ์ รมว.ไอซีที นายพีระพันธุ์ สาลีรัฐวิภาค รมว.ยุติธรรม (ยธ.) และ นายนิพิฏฐ์ อินทรสมบัติ รมว.วัฒนธรรม (วธ.)”ภายหลังแถลงข่าวและลงนามสนธิกำลังร่วม 3 กระทรวงเพื่อการปกป้องเทิดทูนสถาบัน สังคม และประชาชนให้ปลอดภัยจากผลกระทบของสื่อเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศและการสื่อสารที่ ไม่เหมาะสม
เอ็มโอยูปกป้องสถาบันจากภัยโลกไซเบอร์ ที่วันนั้น ทั้ง 3 รมต.ได้คุยโวไว้ว่า รัฐบาลนี้ เอาจริงเอาจัง โดยสั่งปิดเว็บหมิ่นสถาบันแล้วกว่า 4.3 หมื่น รอสั่งปิดอีก 3 พัน และในอีก 3 เดือนประชาชนต้องรู้ว่าทำอะไรไปบ้าง
จากวันที่ 18 มิ.ย.2553 มาวันนี้ 29 ต.ค.2553 รวม 133 วันเต็มๆ และถือว่า เลยกำหนดกรอบเวลา 3 เดือนที่ ทั้ง 3 ท่าน รมต.แจ้งว่าจะมารายงานให้ประชาชนทราบ |
[FACT comments: Of course, govt is merely using the licencing issue as a feeble excuse to clamp down on dissenting opinions. In a real democracy, no licences would be required for publishers or community broadcasters. Readers can get some idea about how much more evil military control is getting every day.]
CRES to prosecute 95 unregistered community radio stations
Prachatai: October 30, 2010
http://www.prachatai3.info/english/node/2113
The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation says it will deal with unregistered community radio stations, some of which are divisive and offensive.
On 28 Oct, Defence Minister and CRES Director Gen Prawit Wongsuwan held a CRES meeting with Defence Ministry Permanent Secretary Gen Kittipong Keskovit, Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabat and army commanders. The meeting lasted 20 minutes.
During the meeting, according to CRES spokesperson Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, intelligence agencies provided updates on the movements of various political groups, and the commanders were informed about the security plan for the meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Border Committee in Pattaya on 29-30 Oct.
Col Sansern said that the police reported the findings from its investigation of community radio stations; 95 stations were unregistered, including those which presented constructive content, those which were song-oriented, and those which presented content that was divisive to society and offensive to the monarchy. These stations, however, will all face legal prosecution to the same standard.
Source:
http://www.prachatai3.info/journal/2010/10/31672
[FACT comments: You may be asking what this has to do with censorship and, importantly, on FACT’s front page. These earliest known version of the Tripitaka went undiscovered in Bamiyan’s caves for more than 2,000 years, until 1995. After surviving that long, the manuscripts still had to be smuggled out to avoif destruction by religious fanatics. This is a wonderful story about preventing censorship. We only wish we could have prevented the senseless destruction of the Buddhas at Bamiyan.]
RELIGION
Ancient scriptures unveiled
Wassayos Ngamkham
- Bangkok Post: October 29, 2010
- http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/203706/ancient-scriptures-unveiled
A collection of what are believed to be the world’s oldest Buddhist scriptures will go on display for the first time in Thailand at Phutthamonthon Buddhist park in Nakhon Pathom province next month.
Wat Sa Ket deputy abbot Phra Thammasitthinayok said yesterday the public would have a chance to view the Tripitaka scriptures, which are claimed to be more than 2,000 years old.
The priceless scriptures will be exhibited for 90 days from Nov 8 before being returned to their owner, the Norwegian government.
Some parts of the ancient scriptures have disintegrated. More than 10,000 pieces will be on display at the exhibition.
Phra Thammasitthinayok, Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart and more than 30 Buddhist monks and Thai representatives left for Norway last night to bring the scriptures back for display in honour of the seventh cycle birthday of His Majesty the King next year.
Phra Thammasitthinayok said the scriptures were written with “Prommi” characters that were used during Buddha’s time and serve as evidence that the scriptures were the world’s oldest.
Buddhist history states that Buddha’s teachings were first recorded on palm leaves during the first century BC.
The Tripitaka scriptures were discovered in caves in Afghanistan by Bamyan people who escaped from Taliban attacks and took refuge in caves from 1993 to 1995. The Bamyan people then took the scriptures to Pakistan to save them from destruction by the Taliban.
Norway and Britain then secretly moved the scriptures out of Pakistan from 1997 to 2000. They brought out 5,000 complete scriptures and 8,000 pieces of broken scriptures inscribed on palm leaves, bark, leather and brass plates.
“During my last trip to Norway, people recognised me as a Buddhist monk, so they showed me the scriptures, although they had always kept them as a secret,” Phra Thammasitthinayok said.
“They had as many as 12 paleographers and archaeologists translate the content into English. They recognise that they are the oldest Buddhist scriptures.”
The deputy abbot spent more than a year seeking the scriptures for an exhibition in Thailand. He finally succeeded as a result of a government-to-government deal.
[FACT comments: We find it incredible that printers and publishers can be so cowed, so “brainwashed”, so afraid of govt that Red Power simply could not be printed in Thailand. This shows exactly how close we are to being a democracy—not at all.]
RED MAGAZINE
‘Red power’ mag stranded on Cambodian border
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation: October 29, 2010
Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Red Power
After nearly two months of silence, the hard-hitting anti-government Red Power magazine is back in print, though its editor Somyos Prueksakasemsuk is having a hard time moving 30,000 copies of the latest edition from Cambodia into Thailand due to alleged border blockade by the authorities.
“We’re trying,” Somyos told The Nation yesterday.
Cambodia is not the preferred choice for Somyos, but after 12 Thai printing houses turned him down, including three in Chiang Mai – former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s stronghold – due to fear of government harassment, Somyos had no other option.
“There is no freedom. There is no space for us to express ourselves even though we chose to fight peacefully,” he said in reference to the situation in Thailand when it comes to opposition media.
Somyos, himself detained under the emergency decree for weeks after May 19, said no distributors would carry his publication because they’re “afraid”, adding that authorities checked the last distributor’s two years’ worth of tax records.
Despite the fact that most copies of this fortnightly magazine have not arrived in Thailand yet, Somyos appears hopeful that something can be done about it. The publication is now priced at Bt45 instead of Bt40 to reflect the higher cost of printing overseas.
“Normally, we can transport things [into the Kingdom] easily. Now the officers at checkpoints are meticulous,” he said, adding that the beefed up border checkpoints may have to do with his magazine and the fact that the authorities are tightening the border to look out for fugitive red-shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong.
If he succeeds in “smuggling” the magazine’s copies into Thailand, Somyos said he would have to sell them by himself and rely on subscription. “The magazines haven’t reached Bangkok yet,” he reiterated.
[FACT comments: If anyone believes this nonsense, we’ll be happy to sell them a couple of bridges! Govt may treat us all like children but now it’s resorting to treating us like total idiots! As usual, they offer no proof for their blatant statement and have obviously missed the part about “brainwashing” being completely discredited by psychologists.]
39 red-shirt warriors ‘brainwashed’ to hate monarchy during training in Cambodia: DSI
The Nation: October 11, 2010
Thirty-nine red-shirt warriors were “brainwashed” to hate the Royal Family during their three-week training in Cambodia, a senior official of the Department of Special Investigation said Monday.
Pol Lt Col Payao Thongsen, an investigator in charge of terrorism case, said he had interrogated 11 red-shirt warriors, who were rounded up at a resort in Chiang Mai.
The 11 men testified that they and 28 other men went to Siem Reap to receive training for three weeks and 35 of them returned to Thailan don August 16.
Payao said the 11 men testified that during the first week of training, the trainers showed them movies about the Royal Family to instill hatred on them.
They learned how to use various kinds of weapon during the second week and receive field training of the weapon and bomb usage during the last week.
Payao said two red-shirt leaders in Chiang Mai, Kanya Phakmaneechan and Phetchawat Watanapongsirikul, coordinated for the 39 men to receive the training.
Red shirts more threatening than the southern insurgency
Political Prisoners in Thailand: October 21, 2010
The new army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha reckons that the most “urgent mission for the Thai army … isn’t to return peace to the South, but to continue the fight against the red shirts and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.”
As the Bangkok Post reports, today the “agenda for every meeting – starting from the morning briefing at 8:30am – which Gen Prayuth and his ‘big five’ deputies attend, revolve around the red shirt movement, Thaksin, intelligence reports on possible acts of sabotage and how to deploy police and soldiers to maintain internal security. These gatherings do not include the regular meetings at the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on Tuesdays and Fridays, which normally is dedicated to issues concerning the red shirts.”
Of course, Prayuth is in his position because he is prepared to defend monarchy and the Abhisit Vejjajiva regime and he hates the red shirts. For him, nothing else really matters. He demands that his subordinates work against red shirts and “follow his policies strictly.”
The battle against Thaksin and the red shirts is driven by a royalist fanaticism. How else can Prayuth discount some 4,000 deaths and thousands of other casualties in the south in such a cavalier manner. It may be that his comments may even inflame further violence in the south. The fear of Thaksin has reached absurd levels amongst the royalist elite, and Prayuth’s statement is a clear indication of the position of that elite.
Sombat’s activities more dangerous than violent campaigns
Prachatai: October 12, 2010
http://www.prachatai3.info/english/node/2081
Khamnoon Sitthisaman, appointed senator and Sondhi Limthongkul’s right-hand man, wrote in his ASTV-Manager column that Sombat Boon-ngam-anong’s symbolic activities are more dangerous than violent campaigns, as they cannot be handled by the law.
In his column on 9 Oct, entitled ‘Violence and symbolic struggles’, Khamnoon said that during the cold war the Communist Party of Thailand had only one AM radio station which was not easily accessible, but civil war still occurred, killing and injuring thousands of people for decades. Now that there are community radios, satellite television stations, websites, dailies and weeklies, who can guarantee that another civil war will not happen, despite the failure of the red shirts’ recent rallies, he asked.
The March-April 2010 rallies seem to be a defeat, but only in the form of large public gatherings. In contrast, illegal, underground, decentralized and guerrilla-like campaigns have pervaded. Khamnoon believes that even if Thaksin Shinawatra wanted to order a halt, he couldn’t because he wouldn’t know who to give the order to. It is not really an exaggeration to say that a certain number of red shirts have already gone beyond Thaksin, he said.
Violence, however, is not much of anything, as it will never lead to victory, and will only damage the red-shirt movement. Sombat Boon-ngam-anong’s symbolic campaigns are more dangerous, he said.
‘Violence is illegal, and the government, if it boxes clever, can suppress it. But Sombat’s campaigns cannot be prosecuted under any laws, whether the lèse majesté Section 112 or anything else. This is a cause for concern if the government is not wise, is only buying time, or is afraid of this and that,’ Khamnoon said.
On 10 Oct, Samran Rodpetch, Deputy Leader and acting spokesperson of the New Politics Party, said that there were three groups of people who were trying to create unrest in the country. The first group employed violent means, including bombings and assassinations of important figures. The second was Sombat’s group which had held activities, including one recently at the Pridi Banomyong Bridge in Ayutthaya, which had implications that subverted the monarchy, but which were difficult for the law to handle. The last group was an anti-monarchy underground movement active on foreign and domestic websites.
Despite the current worrisome situation, Samran expressed his confidence in new Police Chief Pol Gen Wichean Potphosri who was active in dealing with the problems, and the new Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha who was straightforward and strong.
He expressed disappointment with the government, however, which he alleged was busying itself with politics, cabinet reshuffles, and aimless reconciliation. The Prime Minister is a good person, but lacks leadership. He urged the PM to be strong and to tighten his grip on power in dealing more firmly with problems, particularly the anti-monarchy movement.
Suriyasai Katasila, the party’s Secretary General, urged Abhisit Vejjajiva to assume the post of the Director of the CRES himself, to shore up public confidence in national security.
Source:
http://www.prachatai3.info/journal/2010/10/31430
An increase in anti-monarchy websites?
Political Prisoners in Thailand: October 20, 2010
http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/an-increase-in-anti-monarchy-websites/
Prachatai reports that Minister of Information and Communications Technology Juti Krairiksh remains concerned about “offensive” websites that post doctored pictures of members of the royal family. He called “17 internet service providers (ISPs) to a meeting to ask for their cooperation in blocking improper websites which were found to have been increasing in number…”. The minister was unsure why there had been an increase in such sites. Apparently representatives of only 7 ISPs attended.
PPT is unsure whether there has been an real increase in the number of such sites, although if Juti is looking for a reason and not simply reinforcing the censorship required of ISPs under the Computer Crimes Act, he might ask if such sites multiply as censorship of virtually every avenue for critical discussion of the monarchy is prevented. That may seem an odd perspective, but it seems that the web has become one of the few places where criticism remains possible despite state attempts to block and censor. Add to this the extensive censorship of opposition media, and the internet becomes one of the vents for frustration and anger. The repressive state’s attempts to limit it may well expand in response.
Update: A reader points out that K. L. Schlozman, S. Verba, and H.E. Brady have a perhaps relevant article published in 2010, titled “Weapon of the Strong? Participatory Inequality and the Internet,” at Perspectives on Politics, 8, pp. 487-509. The abstract states: “What is the impact of the possibility of political participation on the Internet on long-standing patterns of participatory inequality in American politics? An August 2008 representative survey of Americans conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project provides little evidence that there has been any change in the extent to which political participation is stratified by socio-economic status, but it suggests that the web has ameliorated the well-known participatory deficit among those who have just joined the electorate. Even when only that subset of the population with Internet access is considered, participatory acts such as contributing to candidates, contacting officials, signing a political petition, or communicating with political groups are as stratified socio-economically when done on the web as when done offline. The story is different for stratification by age where historically younger people have been less engaged than older people in most forms of political participation. Young adults are much more likely than their elders to be comfortable with electronic technologies and to use the Internet, but among Internet users, the young are not especially politically active. How these trends play out in the future depends on what happens to the current Web-savvy younger generation and the cohorts that follow and on the rapidly developing political capacities of the Web. Stay logged on…”.
While it seems that political participation hasn’t become less unequal in the U.S., perhaps the point is to direct attention to young and savvy internet users. Maybe that also plays into the politics of the internet in Thailand.
[FACT comments: Some might call it corruption. But let’s stick to the details—have we seen any forceful, positive action to protect human rights from the NHRC?]
Thai independent agencies splurge $3.3m on Mercedes
Bangkok Pundit: October 29, 2010
http://asiancorrespondent.com/bangkok-pundit-blog/thai-indpendent-agencies-splurge-on-mercedes
| Matichon on October 27 reports on the purchases of motor vehicles by the National Human Rights Commission. Key excerpt:
Mercedes Benz, value 3,690,000 baht (US$123,082), purchased on September 8, 2009 Mercedes Benz, value 13,198,000 baht (US$439,992), purchased on September 28, 2009 BMW, value 3,250,000 baht, purchased on September 28, 2009 Toyota Vellfire, value 3,299,500 baht, purchased on September 28, 2009 The next day, the Secretary-General of the NHRC clarified that the 13,198,000 Baht purchase was for the purchase of four vehicles and not one. He also stated that it was in accordance with the Cabinet resolution which allowed the chairman of an independent agency a vehicle to the value of 3,900,000 baht and normal members a car to the value of 3,300,000 Baht. Matichon also has the details for the other independent agencies: the Constitution Court, 13 vehicles for around 40 million Baht; three vehicles for the National Counter-Corruption Commission at just under 10 million baht; just over 7 million baht for two vehicles for the Election Commission; over 20 million baht for a dozen vehicles for the Administrative Court. BP: In total, for all the agencies, we are looking at 100 million baht ($3.3m). Actually, the Administrative Court is the only one that isn’t going for the 3 million+ plus per car deal with most of their cars under 1.5 million baht. BP doesn’t expect them to be driving pick-up trucks, but 3 million baht Mercedes? Are they really necessary? Couldn’t they go for a cheaper model, say a 1.4 million baht Toyota Camry? btw, should note many of the cars were purchased in the past and not just in the last year or so…. h/t @ThaiTalk |
