The April Fools blocking 2005 Also: 2Bangkok's April Fools 2005 Also: 2Bangkok's April Fools 2006 Also: 2Bangkok's April Fools 2007 Also: 2Bangkok's April Fools 2008 More on Blocked sites in Thailand For April Fools Day we replaced our main page with a page used to block banned websites. We received over 300 emails expressing sympathy and support and our phones were ringing all day long. The hoax was an interesting opportunity to point out that Thailand blocks many websites. Most of these feature porn, gambling, or pirated goods, but some contain political content. In the past two years proposal after proposal has been floated on how to take the banning into further subjects for the good of society. Considering the focus the Thai press places on sensational moral issues, most people would probably not be hostile to further restrictions and filtering by the government. Also interesting is how many people assumed the ban was real. Very few initially thought it was a hoax. However, it was nice to know that so many people were genuinely concerned about the site and offered to help. Some of the forums and blogs that covered the blocking of 2Bangkok.com: Sgtowns.com - 2bangkok.com Is Gone and April Fools! terrystrek.com - Censorship Friskodude - April Fools Day ThaiVisa.com - 2bangkok.com, Blocked?! (ThaiVisa also had a subtle April Fools article that included this wonderful line: The Thai prime minister was quoted saying "I myself have forbidden my daughter last week to use the internet after she drank a glass of wine" but refused to elaborate further on the nature of her Internet activities...) Nanaplaza.com - 2Bangkok.com block by Thai authorities!!! nittaya.de - 2bangkok.com offline? And a 2Bangkok.com forum thread on the blocking is here. Many of our Thai friends (about half of 2Bangkok.com's readership are Thais within Thailand) called up genuinely disturbed and worried about the blocking. This was further complicated by being unable to get them grasp the April Fools Day prank concept. Only after hearing some examples could they get what the point was. Here are some examples of April Fools pranks from this year. April Fools hoaxes this year - Such as: UN votes to shut down the Internet: the rapid and uncontrolled flow of information was destabilizing the governments of many of the member states... The Nigerian representative stormed out after the vote saying that the shutdown would destroy his country's largest source of income. Also: April Fool's roundup from last year - April 2, 2004 'Who took my 2Bangkok.com?' - April 2, 2005 Editor Ron Morris writes: No, we have not finally been blocked. It was April Fools Day... Over 300 people (and still counting) wrote in expressing sympathy and support and our phones were ringing all day long. I never thought that many people would notice and take the time to let me know how they feel. I do appreciate it. A thread on the 'blocking' is here. Link to our April Fools Day homepage Above and below are screens one gets when trying to access a blocked site from within Thailand. Recently, some blocked sites are being forwarded directly to the Royal Thai Police website (second screen below). More on Blocked sites in Thailand