Thailand reiterates it will continue blocking YouTube due to 'offensive' clips |
|
|
|
Published
:
Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:15
|
BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - The government will again petition website YouTube to remove video clips deemed insulting to the king, and will continue to block the site until the clips are removed, Communications Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudoom said.The government last week blocked the popular video-sharing website after a clip appeared showing images of King Bhumibol Adulyadej defaced by crude graffiti.The original clip has since been removed, but Thailand's decision to censor the website seems to have spurred YouTube users worldwide to create their own videos mocking the king, with dozens currently posted on the site.Sitthichai said the government will send a letter to YouTube's parent company Google explaining why the clips were offensive to the king.'(We will explain that) our king is above politics, and this is the reason that we blocked the website because it can anger Thais,' Sitthichai told reporters before the weekly cabinet meeting.'Thai people worship the king, but foreigners could not understand this sentiment, so we have to explain. We will continue blocking YouTube until everything is corrected and all clips are deleted,' he said.He repeated claims made yesterday that Google is ignoring Thailand's pleas because it is a small country, and accused the US-based company of hypocrisy because it had agreed to censor its search engine in China.afp
|
|
|
|
Print this Story
Thailand to continue blocking YouTube until some video clips are removed 