Thai Protesters Mobilized To Oppose The Banning Of P.o.r.n.h.u.b

Thai pro-democracy protesters, with their “free P.o.r.n.h.u.b” and “reclaim P.o.r.n.h.u.b” banners, are out on the streets to oppose the government’s decision to ban P.o.r.n.h.u.b, one of the world’s biggest explicit content sites.

In recent weeks, Thailand has been chaotic with protests happening almost every day. Thousands demand the military-backed government led by 2014 coup leader and now PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to resign. The protesters also demand reforms and a new constitution the could curtail the king’s powers.

They have organized rallies, marches, and fashion shows. But they have now taken their grievances to the country’s digital economy ministry following the announcement of minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta about the abrupt banning of the adult content site along with others.

The details on the place and time for the protest were posted on the same platforms used to call for the participation of the protesters in previous gatherings. On Twitter, #SavePornhub is now trending.

Normally, p.o.r.n.ography sites are blocked in Thailand. It remains unclear why the decision was announced for this specific site and at this sensitive time. According to one critic, it was probably related to a compromising video from years ago with the involvement of the royal family. But there was nothing to verify the claim.

The adult site also didn’t comment on this matter. In Thailand, the internet has long been an important battleground to demand democratic reforms. Protesters use numerous platforms and apps to schedule rallies, making it hard for authorities to catch up. And just like other gatherings, the protest over P.o.r.n.h.u.b was organized in several hours.

The government ordered Facebook to remove a group with over a million members where the monarchy was discussed. However, later, the group was recreated. In September, the ministry filed legal complaints against Twitter and Facebook after the two companies failed to follow a court order to take down additional content.

In Thailand, people who criticize the monarchy will be punished with up to 15 years in jail. However, for the first time in history, the young protesters are now discussing the royals openly.

In 2019, Pornhub claimed that Thailand was one of the top 20 countries in terms of traffic globally.

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