Thai Junta Says Google Removing Content With Royal Insults

TEMPO.CO, Bangkok - Thailand`s government met with representatives from Internet giant Google, amid growing calls from Thai hardline royalists to bring those who insult the monarchy to justice, as many Thais look with uncertainty to a future without their revered king.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej's death on Oct. 13 has thrown the country of 67 million into mourning.

It has also led to the rise of ultra-royalist vigilante groups who say they will punish anyone perceived to have insulted the monarchy during a highly sensitive time for Thailand.

Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said he met with Google representatives in Bangkok on Friday. Google affirmed in the meeting that it would continue to help the government remove content from YouTube, a Google subsidiary, that it deemed offensive, he said.

"If any website is inappropriate they said to get in touch with them and inform them of the URL and the time the content was found," Prajin told reporters.

That conforms with Google's practice around the world, Alphbet Inc's Google says.

"We have always had clear and consistent policies for removal requests from governments around the world and we continue to operate in line with those policies," a Google spokesperson in California told Reuters on Friday.

"When we are notified of content that is illegal through official processes, we will restrict it in the country where it's illegal after a thorough review."

CHANNEL NEWS ASIA | MARIA RITA