UPDATE: July 25, 945am PT — We’re receiving reports from BB readers in Thailand that YouTube is still blocked inside Thailand by the ‘net cops there. I’m trying to obtain clarification on status from YouTube folks and others who can attest to the accessibility inside Thailand, and will post updates as possible.
BoingBoing reader and Thai Burmese blogger Myo Kyaw Htun was among many to share the news with us today that YouTube is — as of today — once again accessible to users inside Thailand.
It has been more than three and an half month since April 3, 2007 after YouTube was blocked in Thailand. Finally, YouTube is back here again.
Link to Myo’s blog post. Here’s a background article on the incident, from April.
Various sites are reporting that part of the reason for the “unblocking” is that YouTube offered to help the government block access to specific video clips considered offensive to the nation’s monarch, Bhumibol Adulyadej. This way, the logic goes, Thailand’s internet censors would not be compelled to block the entire YouTube domain: Link, and Link.
Insulting the monarchy in Thailand, through silly YouTube parody videos or otherwise, is a crime known as lese majeste.
Previously on BoingBoing: