New online IP site blocking rules in Thailand

Part of new amendments to the Thai Computer Crime Act passed by the National Assembly in December 2016 aim to reduce online IP infringement. The relevant IP provisions empower the government to go to Intellectual Property and International Trade Court (IP Court) to seek an order to block sites that infringe others' IP. Once the site blocking order is granted, the government, through officers appointed by the Minister of Digital Economy and Society can then arrange to block the site by technical means or by requiring ISPs to do so.  These new rules take effect in May 2017.