Google Slams Thai Law as Webmaster Found Guilty of Royal Insults

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-30/thai-webmaster-gets-suspended-jail-term-over-royal-insults-1-.html

[Google Inc. (GOOG)] criticized a Thai court ruling that penalized a webmaster for insults to the royal family posted to a Bangkok-based website, saying it threatens the growth potential for Internet businesses in Thailand.

Chiranuch Premchaiporn, who manages web content for Prachatai, violated the Computer Crimes Act because she failed to quickly erase content deemed insulting to the monarchy, Bangkok’s Criminal Court said yesterday. The court gave her an eight-month jail sentence that it suspended for one year.

The sentence is the latest in a growing number of convictions for royal insults that has prompted academics to call for revisions to the lese-majeste law, a move the country’s major political parties have denounced. The U.S., European Union and United Nations asked Thailand to respect freedom of speech following convictions last year.