YouTube Returns To Thailand

YouTube has reached an agreement with the Thai government after being banned for five months for showing material seen as insulting to the country’s king.

You probably didn’t know it had even been away, but YouTube is now back in Thailand. The video-sharing service had been banned by Thai censors in Aprilwhen it carried material viewed as insulting to the country’s king and Google, which owns YouTube, refused to remove it.   Under the new agreement,YouTube has agreed to block any clips considered offensive to Thai culture or which violate Thai law.   According to the country’s minister of information and communications technology,Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, the two parties had come to an agreement a while ago, but they experienced technical problems implementing it.     “Any clip that we think is illegal, we willinform YouTube and YouTube will have a look independently,” he said. “If YouTube agrees that it is illegal for Thailand or against Thai culture, they will block it from viewers inThailand.”   The clips would only be blocked in Thailand; people elsewhere would still be able to watch them.   When the site re-opened in Thailand on Friday, one posting was from awoman who said she posted one of the clips about King Bhumibol that had caused the original furore, along with a rambling apology and monologue.   Thailand has a reputation for being especiallysensitive about its monarchy. For example, neither the film The King And I nor its remake have ever been shown there.   Thailand isn’t the only country with restrictions that affectYouTube. In both France and Germany the company blocks material that could contravene laws on hate speech and Holocaust denial.