Thai ISPs Told To Block Access To Porn Websites.

Thailand_s Crime Suppression Division has sought cooperation from the 17 Internet service providers (ISPs) in Thailand to block access to Websites featuring pornographic pictures of models whose faces have been superimposed with those of well-known Thai actresses. It is the second time in a month the division has asked the Communication Authority of Thailand to warn the ISPs to block the Internet protocol addresses of such pornographic sites, an informed police source said on Thursday. The division had circulated a formal letter to the 17 ISPs soliciting their cooperation in blocking the obscene Websites after well-known model and actress Ankhana Thimdee lodged a complaint with the Royal Thai Police earlier this week. Ankhana has sought legal action against the operators of the Website, which had pornographic pictures of a model whose face was superimposed with hers. Crime suppression detectives planned to summon executives of the ISPs to interrogate them and find clues on how Ankhana_s pictures and those of other Thai models were published. Those charged in the scam would face criminal charges, the source informed. Under Thai laws, publishing pornographic material on the Internet by superimposing the faces of individuals without their consent is a graphic libel under Article 328 of the Criminal Code. The offense carries a maximum fine of 200,000 baht (US$5,160) and up to two years of imprisonment, the source said.