Thailand's connection to the Internet began in 1987 via the Australian Research and Education Network using UUCP and SUNIII[1] which transformed to full TCP/IP in 1992 to UUNET.
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reported a shift towards digital media as a key source for political news and discussions.
[5] Newer media outlets started to challenge traditional news reporting, altering long-standing journalistic practices.
FTTH with speeds up to 1 Gbit/s is available in limited areas in major cities, including Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
As of August 2003, it is mandatory for all ISPs to have a presence in the National Internet Exchange (CAT-NIX) operated by CAT Telecom.
However, TOT was unable to provide services to the majority of people in Bangkok due to the fact that half of the fixed line telephone system was operated by Telecom Asia Co., Ltd (now known as True Corporation) under a concession.
Outside of Bangkok, TT&T teamed up with CAT Telecom to provide unlimited 2 Mbit/s ADSL service after three months of operation.
Since most telephone wires in major cities are still on poles and not underground, there is no limit to how many phone lines can enter a building.
A new wire is simply run to the premises requiring the service, bypassing the need for any further local loop unbundling agreements.
In 2012, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) held an auction and approved 2100 MHz licenses to three operators (Advanced Wireless Network of Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC Network of Total Access Communication (DTAC), and Real Future of True Corp)[30] and 3G service under 2100 MHz is expected to operate by Q2 of 2013.
The lèse-majesté law criminalizes expression insulting the Thai king, punishable by fifteen years' imprisonment.
[35] The cabinet under Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and prime minister, on 30 June 2015 gave a green light to Thailand's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) and relevant agencies to move forward with plans to implement a Thai single gateway internet before the end of the 2015 fiscal budget.
The plan to reduce internet gateways was initially proposed by Pol Gen Somyot Poompanmoung, the chief of the Royal Thai Police, as a single gateway system makes it easier for state authorities to monitor, filter, delete, and intercept information on the internet that the authorities deem inappropriate.
They go on to say that, "The people of Thailand can kiss a fast internet goodbye purely from technical incompetence, not to mention all the monitoring, censoring and deep packet inspection the military want.
[42] According to the NGO Privacy International in a September 2016 report, "The Thai military government has counted on its police force to monitor online speech in order to curb dissent.
"[43] Following the May 2014 coup led by General Prayut, there was a sharp increase in online surveillance carried out by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the ruling junta.
An updated Computer Crime Act in 2014 gave police broad powers to monitor online commentary, particularly social networking applications such as Facebook.
The aim of the Cyber Scouts is to encourage the "ethical and responsible use of information and communication technology" among youngsters and to create a network of young volunteers to monitor online content that could be deemed a threat to national security and the monarchy.
[45][46] In December 2016, the junta-appointed Thai National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed an amendment to the 2007 Computer Crime Act[47] that has been called, "...a grab bag of the worst provisions of the worst internet laws in the world, bits of the UK's Snooper's Charter, America's Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and the dregs of many other failed laws.
[49] In a Bangkok Post editorial urging that the NLA reject the amendment, it noted that, "When the government first set out to revise the Computer Crime Act last year, it pledged that the change will not violate people's rights and freedoms.