"I'm not information-technology savvy", words from Thailand's ICT minister

Usually, I don't pay much attention to Thai news website. Since I think they all just look the same with some kind of self-imposed censorship. But today The Nation have a really interesting interview with Mr. Sitthichai, the minister of Information and Communication Technology.

"Information and Communica-tions Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom says the Internet is not an "exciting" tool - a strange sentiment, maybe, for the man who guides the technology in Thailand."

"He admitted he was not information-technology savvy and made minimum use of the Internet. The reason Sitthichai, 59, is not excited by the Internet is simple: "I'm old."

And for those who curious about the standard of censorship in Thailand, this could be the answer.

He said he had "not even glanced" at most of the five sites he was responsible for closing.

"I once visited pantip.com and was confused by its many rooms. I quit and never went back," he said.

His decision to block sites or issue warnings to webmasters are based on opinions and suggestions from about 20 ministry staff and state-owned CAT Telecom, who monitor the online world around the clock.

He was presented with "hard-copy" evidence of the sites along with proposals to block them.

He sets his own criteria. To criticise the Privy Council president is a threat to national security, he said.

Don't know about the others, but for me, this make me sad.

Read the whole story at The Nation's website.