2007年VOA标准英语-Thailand Lifts Ban on YouTube Following Spat Ov

By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
31 August 2007

Thailand's interim¹ government has lifted a ban on the YouTube Internet video-sharing service, after it agreed to censor² content. The service was blocked five months ago after posting what authorities said were images offensive to the Thai king. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Bangkok.

The government banned the YouTube web site five months ago, when an anonymous³ user posted images of the widely revered⁴ Thai king with a picture of a person's feet. This was considered offensive as in Thai culture the feet are considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the body.

On Friday, the country's information minister announced that ban was lifted as a gesture to show that the government is committed to free speech. Officials said the site is again accessible in Thailand after YouTube agreed to filter the offensive materials from its content.

The lifting of the ban drew a cautious response from media reform advocates like Supinya Klangnarong of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform group in Bangkok. She accuses the government of eroding⁵ freedom of expression.

She says the decision on YouTube is only a superficial improvement.

"It seems to be good news, but actually it's unlikely, because even though now YouTube will be unblocked it seems that it comes with many conditions. It shows that now the government could negotiate with [YouTube] that they will selectively block the websites that [it deems] not appropriate," said Supinya. "So we saw that again, the government still has authority to block some of the websites due to the many measures that the public will not know what really the criteria⁶ of why a site would be blocked."

An interim government installed by the military rules Thailand, since the ouster of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup⁷ nearly a year ago. Elections are scheduled in December after Thais recently approved a constitution drafted by a military-appointed council.

The document guarantees freedom of expression, but Supinya says the government's interpretation⁸ of the law may mean continued restrictions⁹ on the media.

"The reasons that the government always tells the public [of] why they have to block the websites because it's about the content that's against His Majesty¹⁰ or against the monarchy¹¹ and against national security or pornography, and those kinds of reasons are very convincing to [the] Thai public," she said. "So I think it's very hard now to defend freedom of speech, freedom of expression in Thailand, particularly under the authoritarian¹² regime like this."

The media reform group stresses that it does not advocate criticism of the king, who has been widely credited for advocating rural welfare. The monarchy lost absolute power in Thailand in 1932.

1 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

2 censor   

n./vt.审查，审查员；删改

参考例句：

• The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
• The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

3 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

4 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

5 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

6 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

7 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

8 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

9 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

10 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

11 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

12 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。