Facebook has blocked in Thailand the Royalist Marketplace group, which has more than a million members and engages in open discussion about the Thai monarchy, an institution that is staunchly protected from criticism by strict laws.
(AP Photo)BANGKOK Facebook has blocked in Thailand a group with more than a million members that engages in open discussion about the Thai monarchy, an institution that is staunchly protected from criticism by strict laws.
The Facebook group, Royalist Marketplace, was blocked late Monday after the social media giant bowed to pressure from the Thai government.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a 49-year-old academic who created the group in April, bemoaned the decision, and quickly set up a similar Facebook group that already has hundreds of thousands of members.
Pavin said that after the Facebook group was blocked, he immediately created another one that is essentially the same, called "Royalist Marketplace-Talad Luang."