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Thailand lifts YouTube blockade

Repressive governments don't like the idea of the obstreperous YouTube. But Thailand, one of many countries which has banned YouTube, has had a change of heart, reports TechSpot.
Written by Richard Koman, Contributor

Repressive governments don't like the idea of the obstreperous YouTube. But Thailand, one of many countries which has banned YouTube, has had a change of heart, reports TechSpot.

Last April, the Thai government -- which took power in a coup -- declared an outright ban on YouTube after a video that poked fun of the King of Thailand was posted on the popular video sharing site.

Thailand joined Iran and UAE, Morocco, Turkey, Iraq, Brazil, China and India in either an outright ban or censorship of YouTube in some fashion. (Mashable.com has a complete list of countries who've banned or censored YouTube from the Internet.)

The Thai governemnt is very sensitive on all matters relating to his majesty, and although the ban was a bit extreme, the Thai goverment is working with Google to block offensive content from making it within their borders.

The official reason the ban was lifted three months later is that there is an change in government and a reduction in power for the Information and Communications Technology Minister:

"I don't want the ICT minister to have too much decision-making power, especially when we'll soon have a new government," Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said. "Under the new law that governs electronic transactions an attempt to close a website needs to go through the courts."

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