<div> <div>The coordinator of the Thai Netizen Network analyses the latest draft of the Cyber Security Bill, saying that the definition of “cyber” is too broad, there is a risk of offending over content affecting security, the Committee is structured to give dominant power to the security sector, and private agencies not complying with requests for data may be penalised, but state requests for data do not require any court order. </div> <div> </div> <div>“Cyber security is the security of general infrastructure systems, whether it’s finance, the economy, society, daily activities </div></div>

<p>After the Defence Ministry gave the green light to the Cyber Security Bill yesterday, human rights organizations urged the government to reveal details of the bill for public scrutiny.</p> <p>Amnesty International (AI), iLaw, an internet based human rights advocacy group, and Thai Netizen Network (TNN), a civil society group advocating internet freedom, on Tuesday, 1 March 2016, issued a joint statement to demand that the authorities disclose to the public the Cyber Security Bill, the Protection of Personal Information Bill, and the amended draft of the Computer Crime Act.</p>

<p>The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has blocked a website used by anti-single internet gateway netizens to carry out attacks on government websites.</p> <p>On Sunday, 4 October 2015, the MICT blocked ‘<a href="http://203.113.26.210">refreshthis.com</a>’, a website used to carry out cyber-attacks on government websites by many people opposing the junta’s plan to reduce internet gateways to one.</p>

<p>Despite the recent cyber-attacks on government websites from netizens opposed to the single internet gateway, the Thai authorities say that they will continue to study its feasibility.</p> <p>On Thursday afternoon, 1 October 2015,&nbsp;<span>Uttama Savanayana</span>, the Minister of Information and Communications Technology (MICT), held a press briefing about symbolic cyber-attacks on several government websites on Wednesday night by internet users who oppose government plans to reduce internet gateways to one.</p>

<div> <p>An initiative in Thailand to create a single government-controlled gateway for international Internet traffic represents a clear danger to online freedoms, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement today. CPJ calls on Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to drop the proposed plan and stop harassing journalists and social media users.</p> </div>

<p>The Thai authorities plan to amend the current Computer Crime Act to counter online threats to national security.</p> <p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blognone.com/node/69840">Blognone</a>, an IT news website, Suwapan Tanyuwattana, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, told the press last week that the coordinating committee of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) had agreed to amend the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/117">2007 Computer Crime Act</a>.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The head of the Thai police proposed a plan to reduce multiple internet gateways to a single one in order to increase the efficiency of the state’s surveillance system. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Pol Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang, the chief of the Royal Thai Police, on Wednesday suggested to the Thai government and the state’s security agencies to permit only one internet gateway system instead of multiple ones.</p>

<p>In a bid to control communication in Thailand, the Thai junta has approved a plan to force all free Wi-Fi and prepaid phone users to register, claiming national security.</p> <p>Takorn Tantasith, the Secretary General of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nbtc.go.th/wps/portal/NTC/eng">National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)</a>, revealed on Wednesday that the junta’s cabinet has approved an NBCT proposal to make the registration of pre-paid phone users and free Wi-Fi users the nation’s top priority. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Thai military is recruiting a number of new personnel for a Cyber Warfare unit to take care of cyber security matters. &nbsp;</p> <p>Col Chatchai Chaikaseam, the Director of the Cyber Warfare unit of the Thai military, revealed on Sunday at Thailand’s Meet the Hacker 2015 in Bangkok that the military is recruiting seven officers to join the unit.</p> <p>The Cyber Warfare unit is under the Directorate of Joint Operations, under the Royal Thai Armed Forces.</p>

<p>Almost 10,000 people have signed a petition urging the junta not to pass the digital economy bills which will give the state unprecedented powers of mass surveillance and control over communications in the name of national security.</p>

<div class="asset-body"> <p>Bangkok, January 20, 2015--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Thailand's military-appointed legislature to scrap proposed legislation that would allow for mass surveillance of online activities and platforms. The Cyber Security Bill was approved this month by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's Cabinet and is pending in the National Legislative Assembly.</p> </div>