Cyber activist groups have asked the government to cancel the draft amendment to the Computer Crime Act as it also contains a single Internet gateway policy which could reduce people's freedom of expression and access to information. LAPTOP PROTEST Arthit Suriyawongkul, coordinator of the Thai Netizen Network NTNN), called on the government to delay the amendment on July 5, saying that if passed into law, it would restrict people's freedoms of expression and their rights to information as well allow hackers to more easily access personal data. Arthit was speaking at Government House on July 5 after cyber advocacy networks, led by himself and Amnesty International Thailand director Piyanuch Kotsarn, submitted 40,000 names of people who signed a page to protest the government's single Internet gateway plan on the website ww to National Legislative Assembly (NLA) vice-president Peerasak Poriit. The groups also held up laptops with protest messages on pieces of paper pasted on the screens.
BILL BACKGROUND The move came after the cabinet approved the draft amendment to the Computer Crime Act, which also contains the gateway policy, on April 21. The draft was then forwarded to the NLA which voted to accept the draft in principle. The draft is currently being examined by members of the assembly. said the government earlier promised to amend the bill so that it will not violate people's rights after six Internet advocacy networks submitted more than 22,000 names in protest against the gateway plan last year. PROTECTING RIGHTS He also urged the NLA to amend parts of the bill which involve people's freedom of expression and rights to information. Meanwhile, Piyanuch voiced concerns over the bill, saying some sections could remove people's freedoms of expression as well as violate Internet users' privacy. He said the draft bill will go against the country's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which stipulates that tho government must protect people's rights, not restrict them.