Compliance Management, Government Regulations

Thai computer crime law criticized for imposing criminal penalties on ISPs

Thai telecommunication companies are bristling at a proposed law that would criminally punish ISPs for computer crimes perpetrated by their users, and place the burden of proof on these providers to defend themselves.

According to reports by Telecomasia.net and The Stack, attorneys from telecom companies TrueMove H and DTAC have criticized the latest version of Thailand's Computer Misuse Act, which states that any service provider intentionally supporting or consenting to a computer offense is subject to the same penalty that is imposed on the person who committed the actual crime.

Under Thai law, the simple act of entering false information into a computer system can constitute a computer crime – a hard-line policy that some critics regard as government censorship tactics, The Stack reported. At a recent seminar, DTAC's legal representative Akarawit Jongsawasdiworakul said that the new law forces companies to heavily allocate resources toward monitoring subscriber activity rather than improving service, Telecomasia.net reported.

Bradley Barth

As director of community content at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for SC Media online conferences and events, as well as video/multimedia projects. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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