It is not yet clear how YouTube's announcement it is shutting down will affect the release of it's controversial Thailand-related DVDs.
By Terry Fredrickson
There is something strange about this story. YouTube has not confirmed it and the news agencies seem to have missed it. Not only that but YouTube has just announced it is shutting down. (What's today's date again?)
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YouTube April 1 DVD release 'includes lese majeste video'
Bangkok Post, April 1st. Repeat: April 1st
The YouTube plan to release its entire video collection on DVDs for home viewing has re-ignited the debate over lese majeste laws.
The YouTube Collectible DVDs, going on the market April 1, will be issued by subject.
YouTube originally announced the plans to release its DVD set last April 1, and plans have moved forward quickly.
A boxed collection of 14 DVD-9 disks contains all the YouTube videos ever submitted on Thailand – a full 70 hours of entertainment, information and trivia caught on video about Thailand.
But it is "DVD Thailand - No 6" that has sparked controversy. It is entitled, simply, "The Lese Majeste Collection". It contains every YouTube video ever posted about lese majeste.
While details will not be fully known until after 2pm on Monday Thailand time – midnight of April 1 in California – it appears the DVD includes all the material banned by the Ministry of Internet Censorship of Thailand (MICT).
Groups supporting the lese majeste laws in the Criminal Code and the Computer Crimes Act took no chances, and issued strong statements against YouTube Sunday night.
"This trouble-making YouTube company is just trying to blacken the image of Thailand by releasing harmful videos that try to bring down the system of constitutional monarchy," said a statement by Somchai Veerasakul, chairman of the Royalty Protection Group of Bang Kapi, and faxed to the media.
Thailand banned access to YouTube for several days to protest anti-monarchy videos on the service, which is owned by internet search giant Google. YouTube has taken down several videos at the request of the government, and made others inaccessible to users from Thailand.
But the DVD collection, which is to go on sale on Amazon.com and the Google Play store on April 1, reportedly contains full versions of the banned material.
"This is an unacceptable use of so-called freedom of speech by YouTube," said Mr Somchai.
But there was immediate indication that the banned material would leak into Bangkok markets.
"If I get them, I will sell them," said a re-seller of DVDs in a major shopping mall in Bangkok, who asked to be identified as "Daeng". "And I'm sure we will get them."
Breaking news (April 1): It is not clear that the DVD release will happen since YouTube has announced it is shutting down at midnight and will not reopen until 2023. Details here in this official youtube video:
Vocabulary
controversial – causing disagreement ซึ่งก่อให้เกิดการโต้แย้ง
lese majeste – the crime of offending, threatening or showing disrespect for a member of the royal family หมิ่นพระบรมเดชานุภาพ
release – to make something available to the public ออกวางตลาด, ออกวางจำหน่าย
re-ignite – to start again, especially a fire or something bad
debate – to discuss something, especially by giving different opinions อภิปราย, ถกเถียง, โต้เถียง
collect – to gather together a group/set/amount of things, often of the same sort รสะสม, เก็บรวบรวม
collectable – something that has value and that some people want to
issue – to give or provide something แจกจ่าย
originally – the situation that existed at the beginning of a particular period or activity, especially before something was changed อย่างเป็นอันแรก, โดยแรกเริ่ม
submit – to formally give to someone, in this case, to upload a video ยื่น
trivia – unimportant details or information; facts about subjects such as sport, history, or television programmes that people use to answer questions in a game เรื่องเล็กๆ น้อยๆ
spark – to make something happen ก่อให้เกิด
controversy – a disagreement that a lot of people have strong feelings about ความขัดแย้ง
entitle – to give a title (name) to a book, play, etc ตั้งชื่อ
details – small facts or pieces of information relating to a situation รายละเอียด
ban – to officially say that someone is not allowed to do something ห้ามอย่างเป็นทางการ
censorship – removing the parts of a book, film/movie, internet content, etc. that are considered to be offensive, immoral or a political threat การเซ็นเซอร์, การตรวจสอบสื่อต่างๆ เพื่อตัดส่วนที่ไม่เหมาะสมออก
Criminal Code – the systems of laws dealing with crimes and their punishment ประมวลกฎหมายอาญา
Act – a law passed by a country’s government พ.ร.บ. พระราชบัญญัติ
image – an opinion that people have about someone or something ภาพลักษณ์
constitutional monarchy – a system in which a country is governed by a king or queen whose are limited to those given under the constitution and laws of the country ระบอบประชาธิปไตยที่มีพระมหากษัตริย์เป็นประมุข
royalty – the people who belong to the family of a king and queen บุคคลในราชวงศ์
media – radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
access – having the opportunity to have or use something มีโอกาสในการใช้
inaccessible – difficult or impossible to reach or get ซึ่งเข้าไม่ถึง ซึ่งได้ยาก
version – a particular form of something which varies slightly from other forms of the same thing – ชุด, เวอร์ชั่น
immediate – happening or done now, without any delay ทันทีทันใด
indication – a sign that something happened, is true or exists เครื่องบ่งชี้
leak – telling private or secret information to journalists or to the public, in this case, to sell video material that has been banned การเปิดเผยความลับ
