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Thai government websites in denial-of-service attack Thai government websites hit by denial-of-service attack
(about 1 hour later)
Several Thai government websites have been hit by a suspected distributed-denial-of-service (DDOS) attack, making them impossible to access.Several Thai government websites have been hit by a suspected distributed-denial-of-service (DDOS) attack, making them impossible to access.
The sites went offline at 22:00 local time (15:00GMT) on Wednesday. Access was restored by Thursday morning. The sites went offline at 22:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Access was restored by Thursday morning.
The attack appeared to be a protest against the government's plan to limit access to sites deemed inappropriate. It appeared to be a protest against the government's plan to limit access to sites deemed inappropriate.
Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition against the proposal they call the "Great Firewall of Thailand".Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition against the proposal they call the "Great Firewall of Thailand".
The name is a reference to the so-called "Great Firewall of China" commonly used to refer to the Chinese government's censorship over internet content.The name is a reference to the so-called "Great Firewall of China" commonly used to refer to the Chinese government's censorship over internet content.
The military - which seized power in a coup last year- has increased censorship, blocked websites and criminally charged critics for comments made online.
A denial-of-service attack works by exceeding a website's capacity to handle internet traffic and is usually orchestrated by a program or bot.
'Inappropriate websites''Inappropriate websites'
News of Thailand's plans to limit access by creating a single government-controlled gateway emerged last week. A DDOS attack works by exceeding a website's capacity to handle internet traffic. They are usually orchestrated by a program or bot.
A Thai programmer got hold of a cabinet statement ordering the ministry of information, communications and technology (ICT) to "set up a single gateway in order to use it as a tool to control inappropriate websites and information flows from other countries via the Internet". But on Wednesday, calls went out on social media in Thailand encouraging people to visit the websites and repeatedly refresh them.
Internet gateways are the point at which countries connect to the world wide web. Under the cabinet's orders the Thai government would be able to block any website but also potentially closely monitor email communication. Among the targets were the site of the ministry of information, communications and technology (ICT) and the main government website thaigov.go.th.
Calls went out on social media on Wednesday for people to participate in the planned attack, according to the Bangkok Post newspaper. ICT Deputy Permanent Secretary Somsak Khaosuwan said the site did not crash because of an attack but because it was overloaded by visitors checking to see whether and attack was happening, the Bangkok Post reports.
They encouraged people to hit the F5 key - which refreshes the web page. 'Single gateway'
It appears the sites were taken down by internet users who answered the call by continuously clicking "refresh" causing the overload, the Post said. Since seizing power, the Thai military government has increased censorship, blocked websites and criminally charged critics for comments made online.
The ICT website was among those targeted on Wednesday, along with the main government website thaigov.go.th. News it was planning to set up a single government-controlled gateway as a "tool to control inappropriate websites and information flows from other countries" emerged last month.
ICT Deputy Permanent Secretary Somsak Khaosuwan claims the ministry website did not crash because of an attack but because it was overloaded by visitors monitoring the planned attack, the Post said. Internet gateways are the point at which countries connect to the world wide web.
'Open debate' Analysis: Jonathan Head, BBC News, Bangkok
The attack has renewed the vibrant debate over the single gateway plan on social media with many users declaring the end of privacy. That this decision, made at a cabinet meeting on 30 June, was kept secret has caused alarm. It only became public when the government public relations department mentioned it on its own website last month.
So the subsequent statement by Minister for Information Uttama Savanayana that the decision was not yet final, and that the single gateway was only intended to reduce the cost of internet access, was met with disbelief, and then the shutdown of government websites.
Thai netizens insist this is not an attack, but a form of civil disobedience. They also argue that the government's plans make a mockery of its stated ambition for Thailand to become a digital hub for the region.
The military may still push ahead with its firewall, whatever the opposition. The need for control, as it confronts the task of managing a sensitive royal succession, will probably trump any concerns it may have for the digital economy.
Thailand used to have just a single gateway but slow internet speeds led to the liberalisation of the industry and today there are 10, operated by private and state-owned companies.
The apparent attack renewed the vibrant debate over the single gateway plan on social media, with many users declaring the end of privacy.
"Thailand is developing. Thailand is developing into North Korea," one Twitter user said."Thailand is developing. Thailand is developing into North Korea," one Twitter user said.
"I personally & professionally support free flow of information & fair competition on ICTs," said Supinya Klangnarong from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commissions (NBTC) on Facebook."I personally & professionally support free flow of information & fair competition on ICTs," said Supinya Klangnarong from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commissions (NBTC) on Facebook.
"Hope NBTC's website won't be attacked tonight. An open debate is definitely better than a cyber warfare. Voices of reason shall be heard.""Hope NBTC's website won't be attacked tonight. An open debate is definitely better than a cyber warfare. Voices of reason shall be heard."