Thailand The Latest Country To Ban Entire YouTube Over Single Video
from the overreact-much? dept
In a story that sounds nearly identical to Turkey's decision to ban all of YouTube after some annoying kids made a prank video making fun of the country's founder, the Thai government has now banned all of YouTube as well, due to an equally silly video making fun of the country's King. Thailand's minister of information and technology said that the people behind YouTube "are abusing their rights and clearly don't mean well for the country." For someone who's in charge of information and technology, you'd think he'd understand that that problem isn't with YouTube -- but with those creating and uploading the video. Also, of course, for a country that's so worried about some silly video offending its king, they just got some prankster's video a ton of press all over the world when it otherwise would have been ignored. So, let's sum up the results: people in Thailand no longer have access to the rest of YouTube thanks to one pointless video. The video itself is probably available in a bunch of other places for folks in Thailand to see if they want it. At the same time, lots of other people are now getting to see this video (which is still on YouTube) thanks to all the press hype this has caused. None of this, you'll note, does anything to protect the reputation of the King or help the people of Thailand, which is supposedly why they did it. So what's the point again?
Reader Comments (rss)
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Censorship rarely makes sense.
I love stupid governments!
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2-Way Censorship
Youtube routinely censors videos depicting practices which are legal in other countries, such as making copies of TV shows, death threats against the US President, or sex slave auctions. The users are completely banned from YouTube.
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Nobody learns from somebody else's mistakes.
See Wikipedia entry: "Streisand effect" Obviously Mr. Sitthichai "clueless" Pookaiyaudom hasn't.
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Re: Nobody learns from somebody else's mistakes.
You're assuming Thais will react as Americans do -- as opposed to wanting to kill the person who uploaded the video.
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Someone should...
upload a video that offends and ridicules as many different world leaders as possible. Then sit back and watch the melee of stupidity insue.
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wait until
a video of muhammad comes out....
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Simple solution...
Nuke Thailand (but get all their recipes first)
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IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
SLAVERY IS FREEDOM.
WAR IS PEACE.
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.
(Of course Big Brother doesn' t like it when you watch him instead, or when you ignore him.)
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Re: Someone should...
"... watch the melee of stupidity insue"
Apparently it's already begun.
(ensue)
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They are just protecting the kids!
If blocking youtube saves JUST ONE LIFE, isn't it all worth it?
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why get so worked up? this is what happens when primates get their hands on new technology...nothing new.
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I'm sure that the people of Thailand are crying themselves to sleep now that they can't watch music videos that put "In The End" to random Dragonball Z clips.
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Almost makes you want to...
Just start making videos making fun of every world leader...
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Re: 2-Way Censorship
Huh. Imagine that, a US based site taking down videos which are illegal in the US, which the (again, US) law compels it to do so when it is notified of such content. Not to mention that the site is completely free to police itself as it sees fit, being as it's not a governmental entity.
Thailand on the other hand is throwing out the baby, tub, washroom and water because a fly flew into the bathwater, and rather than ignore the fly, they also magnified it. Go sensible, proportionate reactions!
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the video is here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SRyffEbJ50
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Re: Re: Someone should...
you know i stopped and thought about how to spell that for a few seconds and ensure looked weird to me.
thanks for the correction.
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How many can we get to do this?
I think the people of YouTube should unite in creating many many more videos of this type but depicting many other world leaders, just to see how many other countries will ban YouTube.
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Different traditions....
Thailand is a strange place, I don't agree with the ban but I do understand it.
You have to remember that Thailand holds it's king in the utmost esteme. If I buy my Thai nephew a persent it has to be yellow, the king's colour.
In the last military coup (in which no-one got hurt) the coup leaders had to go to the king and ASK his permission to conduct the coup....
If the king had said NO, the coup would not have proceeded!
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I wonder if the U.S. wound ban YouTube if someone made a video of President Bush looking stupid...Oh I forgot he does that all by himself. (BANG - BANG - CRASH) Uh oh I think the thought police just knocked my door down come to take me away.
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The problem is YouTube's lack of respect for what is held sacred by another country. The King of Thailand is viewed as a deity........as such it would be tantamount to a video degrading Jesus Christ............. how would the West view that? Well, that's exactly how the Thais feel. I'm sure YouTube would be willing to remove videos degrading Jesus of Black people because it operates on the West perspective only..............YouTube stands up to some things but backs off on other things.............YouTube is inconsistent and inconsiderate. Either leave everything up or remove the things majorly offensive................ Seriously, Western world how long would a video making fun of Black people or Jesus Christ stay up? You know the answer............Why can't you feel other people's perspective. I lost all respect for Google!
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I think its more complex than painted
"You have to remember that Thailand holds it's king in the utmost esteme."
"King of Thailand is viewed as a deity"
I think you both misunderstand the nature of Thailand. Firstly the King has said he doesn't like this law and people should be able to criticize him. Secondly, the reverence of the King is used by politicians to attack their opponents.
This is why that law continues, politicians who don't like each other regularly file charges against each other that they 'showed disrespect for the man with charisma' and people countersue saying 'how dare they claim I didn't show respect for the king thats a nasty slur..'.
It means that people are brought up to think of the king as all good and all powerful, and to remember his role in ending the last coup. But in reality he's in a delicate political position as the figurehead of the political power brokers. Nobody can say critical things of him, so children think he is all good.
The man who banned YouTube had no choice, if he hadn't, he could be accused of not showing the correct respect for the king by his political enemies and imprisoned.
It's a game that masks the truth in Thailand, and that will become more apparent as his son becomes king.
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Perspective...
As a Westerner I don't like it. From the perspect of Thailand or Thai people, I understand it (I've been there many times & my fiancee is Thai). If Google didn't respond to the takedown request, I don't see what other option they had (you couldn't restrict access to the video on YouTube w/o blocking all of it).
Even thought the King has limited political power in the traditional sense, the King is highly revered in Thailand & not one Thai person would openly criticize the King in public.
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When I say the King of Thailand is regarded as a deity one only have to look at a Thai house and see his picture near pictures or statues of monks and the Buddha (Thailand's primary religion). People "wai" or show respect to the King's portrait in almost the same way as they do to the Buddha. Regardless of whether this is politically, socially, economically, etc. influenced or not, is irrelevant. People were brought up to respect the King this way and they practice this respect in the privacy of their homes, not by any coercion. Having said that the current King is respected as the person he is - much more so than the position. Everyone in Thailand acknowledges that his son (heir to the throne) will not be respected in the same way - in fact far from it. The majority of the Thais actually respect the Princess ("Pra Tep" - phonetic spelling) who is not the heir. We are all brought up to respect different entities, individuals, and even spirits. It's funny how little we understand another person's feeling when this belief-related respect is different from our own.
There is always a political element, but when it coincides with religion or near-religion, it relates to a much stronger belief and we need to respect that.
Once again, I believe that if the NAACP was protesting a similar thing on Martin Luther King Jr., YouTube would have removed it! Politically, corporations will always respond to the politics and economy that will affect it. I've changed my seach engine to Yahoo and I'm a Yankee.......... I support respect for other people's strong beliefs..... you shouldn't try to offend a whole group of people just because... how far do we take freedom of speech? The entire West Coast is full of graffitis - and that is regarded by some as freedom of speech. Some people would want a world without any guidelines or law enforcers - that would just be breeding grounds for people wanting to harm you - today it's your views, tomorrow it's your loved ones - get back to some morals - and show some respect. I don't care what religion or political party you belong to. There is core respect.
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u guys just dont get it
freedom of information come with responsibility. for us who bash the thai gov decision w/out understanding their culture, i would say ur under different paradigm. u will never understand mike
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Re: the video is here
could u send me a clip plz , i never see it because my goverment blocked that web
i don't know what happen but i need i say that all thai people love the King
the King is untouchable and we call the King "King In" it's mean that The king that we love is in all our heart of thai people, thx very much __/|__
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Re: Re: the video is here
What's a point to see it?
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Grrrrrr
The reason you people think it's so stupid is because you don't understand the situation in Thailand. Because you're ignorant and stuck up in your own culture full of pranks and graffiti. Well listen, in Thailand the king is VERY respected. If you insulted him in front of a group of teenagers. They'd smash you up big time.
I'd understand why you think it's ridiculous to ban youtube but remember Google REFUSED to remove the video. So much for fair Google. So Thailand then blocked Youtube simple and no I'm not Thai.
You're so stuck up with yourselves, Bombing countries for oil and believing George Bush's reason that it's for terrorists reason. I can't believe you take it upon yourself to judge a culture you don't understand one bit. Bloody Ignorant Wankers.
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Re: Simple solution...
and women!
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I found a dumb webpage that must be made by some morons... saying:
Freedom of creative expression never killed anyone.
Block injustice. Block corruption. Block disparity.
Can you do that? It is hard, ain't it?
There is no royalty, no king, no queen, no prince and no princess.
All men, women and children are born equal.
This statement indeed does hold water. However, the pictures in that webpage are totally out of the lines. They're totally disrespectful. Monarchy aside, it's still wrong. It's inhumane. Nice people would never ever do such thing. I am deeply offended by the content of that webpage.
Isn't it common sense, common etiquette, and common practice not to hurt other people's feelings? Isn't it a common sense that we, human, should give some respect to other people? As a human, we do not hurt other people just for fun!
To intentionally hurt someone's feeling is psychologically barbaric. Civilized people won't do such thing.
If you have enough kindness, of course you won't intentionally hurt someone. Especially if that "someone" is (or are) stranger(s) that you don't even know and had not harmed you in anyway.
People who have fun trying to make others unhappy, upset, or sad, are, in my opinion, psychopaths. They enjoy hurting others. They enjoy bitterness of others. They are so heartless and inhuman!
Why? Why do people hurt other people?
Why?
I can't understand.
Where are their morality?
Don't they ever feel ashamed of themselves?
Why?
Would you mock or bad-mouth your friend's father or mother?
I would not. Because I know and understand how they would feel.
When people hurt others' feelings without hesitation, I guess it means that they lack one of the most important social skill; consideration.
Of course I was enraged when I saw that webpage.
But I know it's useless to get angry. Because those barbaric, heartless persons won't care about my feelings anyway.
I better take my time explaining one big misunderstanding in that webpage.
It's about royalty or monarchy that they mentioned there.
First off, I want to beg you foreigners to understand that we do not see his majesty the king just as the monarch. We don't only respect him by the royal title. We don't only love him just because our country is ruled by him.
We admire him, we love him, we respect him with our heart. I would say, emotionally attached. It's more like a sense of being family more than sense of monarchy warshipping. He is dear to us as a father to a child. He is not just a ruler with political title. In emotional aspect, he's much, much more important to us than any president to his people.
If you're a puppy lover, would you cry or get angry when you see someone kill a dog?
If you're animal lover, would you feel sad or feel upset when someone kill and skin those cute seal pups?
If you're holding something dear, would you get distressed or furious if someone intentionally destroy it?
Of course you (or at least, most people) would. Because we're human. We have feelings, emotion. We're not objects that can't feel or think! WE ARE HUMAN!
Now can you see? It's simply just a common sensitivity that a human would have. It has nothing to do with royal sentivity.
I, for one, would slap someone's face if they badmouth my father or mother. Or at least, if I could content myself not to do the IMPROPER thing, I would frown at the person. Not to mention badmouthing the king, who is held at the sacred place in my heart. Of course I would be furious by that.
Is it so difficult to feel or acknowledge the reason why so many Thais are angry at that problematic VDO clip?
If one is intelligent enough to use the internet and communicate well with other users, I think one shouldn't be so dull that other people's feelings are beyond one's comprehending.
You know, it is just so, so sad and discouraging to know and see that there are some meanies out there who would leap at every opportunity to *negatively* make fun of some one so much respected by so many people. I can't help but suspect that such kind of persons are not nice, are extremely selfish, and are evil.
Liberty does not mean you can freely do anything even if it harms other people.
Freedom of speech does not justify your abuse of speech.
Now, I might as well say, if a person does not acknowledge the boundary line between liberty and morality violation and keeps crossing the line, they are either extremely dumb or just a plain ignorant fool.
If the writer of that mentioned message truly believes that all people are born equal as they wrote, why can't they treat us and our king with respect just the same as they would treat their friends?
We're human too!
We're the same as you!
Since we're all human, treat us like human, just as a human would treat others.
One last question that I want to ask people that made that webpage, people who made that VDO clip, as well as people who are angry at us, Thais, just because some Thais violently (verbally) reacted to someone else's misbehave.
Are you human or are you not?
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I don't believe it even a nano sec.
Some said like the creators of those clips and site has become fighters for freedom of speech or that kinda shit. What a greatest fighter ever... What will you fight for next? The right to openly bad mouth the parents of your own neighbors, maybe?
In my very humble opinion, I don't think those who made the clips or that site really care for freedom of speech or anything. They are just the trolls enjoying being feed by enraged people. It's a thing anyone can tell by just a mere glance at those brainless clips or site.
Freedom of Speech = The altimate chance to insult other people.
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Re:
Thanks for your understaning. You received a thankful 'wai' from me.
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Thanks
To LackOfRespect ,
Thanks for your understaning. You received a thankful 'wai' from me.
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Re: Simple solution...
Hey go fuck you self up the ass!!!At least Thailand isnt in a war with Iraq bitches!!!lol hahahahahahahaahaahahahahahahaha!!!!!!Suck it asshole!!!
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Re: Re: Simple solution...
Hello, I Swedish Mike, the toughest Mike of them all.
I would just like to say that Thailand sucks ass and they should stop censoring their frakkin' movies. (Listen, Thais, you dumb backwards hicks, you can't go around blurring out movies where people point guns at each other. THAT IS RETARDED.) Also, the King has one eye, the Monarchy is full of incest. Check out their kids; they're all misshapen freaks, not a single good looking one in the bunch -- that's the result of inbreeding, folks.
In closing: Thailand is a backwards hick country. Stop pretending like you're a free country, you dumbasses. Bangkok is full of crack whores, 10-year old hookers, and regardless of how many "land of 10,000 smiles" campaign you put out, your country is still home to the most sick, vile, and "buyable" city in the whole wide world.
Suck on that, Thais.
P.S. Sweden rules, mofos!
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And oh yeah, I got yer "wai" right here, biotches!
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Hey Mike, you sound like a real Harvard or Oxford educated man. Wow, how did you become so educated? What an awesome example of Sweden you are. You really sound like you are light years ahead of any third-world nation. Can we look forward to you finding a cure to cancer? The toughest Mike of them all? Wow! I'm sure you will beat all the Thai boxers ass and soon to be crown the winner of Pride and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Or perhaps you may even kick ass and teach the United States Marines what tought training is really about? You are such a prime specimen - I'm really, really impressed. I don't believe every Swedish person is as smart or tough as you, but will you please show them the way. You really have smart things to say. Is everyone here just impressed by Swedish Mike? Sweden rules? Wow! For a not-third-world nation, it is known for as many blond porns as they come - wow! I love that! That is so great! I wish we in the USA could be like Sweden and Americans be like Swedish Mike. What a better world this would be. Isn't the computer a wonderful place to dream? In front of a global audience, you are showing prime Swedish intelligence and manliness - WOW! I'll order my Saab now!
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F the King
The king of tailand is a stupid monkey.... so is jesus, and gerorge bush, and all those other idiots...
die king of Thailand, DIE! and suck my dirty white foot whilst ur at it, biatch!
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thailand sucks!
whilst i'm at it, don't forget that thailand is a piece of shit country with a bunch of little terds walkin round,
hahahaha!
this is freedom of speech u stupid nutjob thais!
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thailand sucks!
whilst i'm at it, don't forget that thailand is a piece of shit country with a bunch of little terds walkin round,
hahahaha!
this is freedom of speech u stupid nutjob thais!
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george's mom sucks harder for less money!
George! If Thailand is a piece of shit, then what are you? You need a foot so deep up your ass that it vibrates your tonsils! I'd rather visit Thailand than your shitty ass trailer any day. We should also have freedom to shoot so someone can blow your fuckin' brains off the face of this earth and save precious oxygen. But you are lucky this is the internet because it allows pencil neck computer geeks like you to act tough. While I'm exercising freedom of speech, did you hear about the deepest cave in the world? - Your mom. But since you came out of it the day you were born, you must smell worse than shit. You must have had a thousand different dicks poking your forehead before you were born. Isn't freedom of speech fun? Oh, I would have been your daddy but the fuckin' pitbull beat me over the fence. Besides, your mom's cunt stunk too much.
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* sigh * This is the result of too much freedom. An accumulation of morons. The funny thing is those who preach freedom of speech are way more offensive than those who do not. One word to the prudent, those people will always eventually taste their own medicine. There is always someone meaner, nastier, and more violent than you. You may end up on the receiving end of the stick. When that happens, I'm sure you will wish there was some authority (perhaps a soldier of some king) to come over and save you. As we can see here, george thought he was vulgar, until he encountered a Barry. Lucky for george he did not encounter Barry in the streets. Be careful what you preach for, you may just get it.
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Re: Simple solution...
eat a fat dick, asshole
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Re: Simple solution...
eat a fat dick, asshole
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SIMPLE SOLUTION is to take a knife, stick it up your balls, and rake it all the way up to your face. Do the same to your whore mom and shit in her cadaver. If she's already dead, dig her ass up again, and take a shit in her face after busting her skull open with a fuckin' brick. This would be my freedom of expression gift to you for being so disrespectful. Really, I would have no problems doing just that and sleep well like a baby. That's how much I hate disrespectful fucks like you hiding behind some freedom of speech. You are lucky I don't know you - anonymous fuck!
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Re: Re: Re: Simple solution...
I bet $1 trillion to a cent that this coward Swedish Mike won't give me his identity so I can come over to his place and chat. It is easy to figure out that a picture of a stupid swe-dish-head director who make a film that insult muslim women and got stabbed to death is still fresh in his mind. Would you come and see me at my place instead Mike. We are Thai and we welcome every creature in the world to our home--firend and enemy.
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who ever made fun of the king. Screw you to Hell. You dont know the fuck how Thai people respect him. He is like everything. Everyone loves him here and even if you ask your grandparents they will probably know and admire him too.
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Insult Thai King reflected Deep Racism think of some western people.
The King was not involved all kind of political action. His working time is all about how to help poor people in Prathet Thai. He and his working group do about agricultural research, education development, human development and other good purposes, but not politic. Some Thai republican and former communist who become rich man in present day against King and exploit some stupid western people to do something for their benefit. They need to turn Prathet Thai to Republic. Thai people do not agree with them because Thai People love King. So that bastard must do anything to destroy King.
All of them will die soon and burn in hell.
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Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Speech is important, people who needlessy slander and frequently insult without base are the backbone of our own Freedom of Speech. Without them many governments would draw the line and no-one would notice.
So, after having read about the Thai culture in regards to their king, he's still a retarded fuckwit. He has the ability to start the wheel rolling for democracy in Thailand, the second he stops those ridiculous laws. He hasn't, so he enjoys his power in spite of the suffering it causes.
Grade-A fuckwit.
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A political debate or art is one thing. Slandering just to slander is another. But since Ford likes that, then I have the freedom to call his mother a fuckin' 10-cent whore by choice. And according to his logic he should support that statement. Your mom was fucked by 10 retarded midgit fuckwits while you enjoy watching. And while you're at it, shove a fuckin' pink dildo up the Pope's ass and have your mom lick it. You were dumped early in life by your dad because of your mom's whorish behavior. So I understand why you would want to slander someone you don't even know. Like I said, if the rule applies then it applies to your mom and your god too. Thank you for your support. If you feel offended then don't do that to other people. Personally, I think too much freedom is fuckin' stupid. The only people who truly benefit are lowlife fucks who want to mouth off for no reason. Society declines because of less and less order. In a utopia, you can have freedom and everyone acts accordingly. Unfortunately, in the real world you have people like Ford (and all the other variations of his name) and society would benefit more by chopping his fuckin' head off. Anyway, tell your mom all the black dudes said she was a good fuck.
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Fuck all you guys...thailand could do anything for their king,...no one understand how much we love him....cuz he is so much better than any of your leader...so go to HELL
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It's a free marketing for Thai Government to the W
Now the World understands that Thai has no full democracy but Semi-Democracy.
The King has more than 100% love and respect from Thai people and people from all over the World.Please don't use the King for political gain.
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It's a free marketing for Thai Government to the W
Now the World understands that Thai has no full democracy but Semi-Democracy.
The King has more than 100% love and respect from Thai people and people from all over the World.Please don't use the King for political gain.
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Offense
A post likened this debacle to someone posting a video making fun of Jesus Christ which I find inaccurate. I believe you get offended only if you want to get offended. As a Christian it is my stance if you want to make fun of Jesus I'm not going to take it personally.
So I think if the people of Thailand want to take offense then they will. It's all about how you want to take it.
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Re:
Apparently you don't know what your talking about. There are actually a large quantity of videos on YouTube that make fun of different races and Jesus Christ. The West is vastly more tolerating.
I strongly suggest research before opening your mouth again.
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Re:
Your both lucky I didn't meet you on the streets.
I'm a major backer of the freedom of speech and I don't mindlessly slander. Having the right doesn't make it happen, its other more complex societal situations that bring it on.
You, of course, will never become familiar with that as you don't get to enjoy that same guarantee.
Freedom of speech is part of meaning I can defend myself against the Barry's of the world regardless of what level of government they were in. What if Barry was your king? He could of been. You'd be singing a different tune then, eh?
I strongly suggest an education if you ever read this.
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Re: Re: the video is here
Good for you. King is your, but not for most of us. For me, I believed in freedom and democracy.
So enjoy your believed.
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Re: I enjoy the freedom and democracy
Good for you King is your, but not for most of us. For me, I believed in freedom and democracy and I will keep on voting for my President instead. Which controls by the people governs by the people not by one bloodline from many centuries ago and will be on forever.
So enjoy your believed.
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XD
WHO COMMENT NUMBER 34 IS A STUPID FUCKING JACKASS!!!
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It has nothing to do with respect
All these people keep saying that the Thai people revere the King and would never criticize the king because they have so much respect for him. Respect has NOTHING to do with it morons! They 'respect' and 'revere' him because if they don't they get thrown in jail. The Thai king is nothing but a damn thug and the people should overthrow him and send him to the guillotine like the French did with their king. The guillotine is where all kings and dictators belong. The ignorance of you people who keep claiming that the Thai people love the king so much and thats why they would never say anything bad about him astounds me.
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