Thai Life

I was reading about a whizzy new internet technology called Encrypted Client Hello (ECH). It has been implemented already in many internet browsers but also needs participation from websites to make it all work. This weeks news is that websites using hosting at a company called Cloudflare will use this new tech.

The  importance of this is that the internet routing from a browser to the website will be pretty much all encrypted, so that Thai ISPs will no longer be able to detect which web sites are being accessed, so can't easily block them.

Anyway I decided to have poke around and see what is currently being implemented, at least by my Thai ISP, True.

I was rather surprised to note that a couple of porn tube sites I tried were unblocked.

However things were not so good for my favourite bookie which was indeed blocked with nothing more than a blank page appearing when I typed the URL.

Another sneaky piece of censorship is that Google Search is locked into 'safe search' regardless of what setting you select. So a search for porn tube returns no actual porn tubes.

Not to worry though, the alternative privacy-based search engine DuckDuckGo.com still works fine.

Actually there are existing elements of Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) that are already available. These already clear a way through the current Thai blocking tech without needing to bother with a VPN. Recent versions of Firefox (from version 118) Chrome and Edge have already added support for ECH.

The first thing to select is in the browser network settings and is called DNS over HTTPS (DoH). This needs to be enabled and then select the Cloudflare DNS provider. Note that computers on a network outside of your control, eg on a company network or a hotel network, can stop you setting this.

This was enough on Chrome to get the internet unblocked, but on Firefox I had to one more step. In the Windows Network & internet WiFi settings for the network I am using I replaced the ISP DNS server with Google's DNS server 8.8.8.8 (Encrypted preferred) for the first of the two IPv4 DNS Server selections.

And as a bonus Google.com no longer forced safe mode searches.

A new law to regulate decriminalised kratom came into force on August 27. The law covers not only kratom leaves but also beverages obtained from boiling leaves and extracts of the plant.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves have opioid properties and are used as a mild stimulant and painkiller.

The Kratom Plant Act of 2022 decriminalises kratom leaves and removes them from the list of narcotics. The law allows the possession, consumption and use of kratom leaves. However, it places restrictions on the sale, marketing and advertising of leaves and on blending them with other psychotropic substances. Official permission is required to import or export the leaves.

The new legislation requires that relevant state agencies encourage people to grow and process kratom for use in their communities and development as an economic crop. The government's policy is to turn kratom into an economic crop and push for its medical use to create incomes for farmers.

Sales to children under 18, pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers faces a fine of up to 30,000 baht. The sale of kratom is forbidden at educational institutions, dormitories, public parks, zoos and amusement parks, as well as from vending machines. Violators risk a maximum fine of 50,000 baht.

Import or export of kratom leaves without permission is penalised with a maximum of one year in jail and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.

The law also bans the advertising of kratom leaves or leaves mixed with psychotropic substances for recreational purposes. Violators face a maximum two-year sentence and/or a fine of up to 200,000 baht.

The Royal Thai Police and Thai government have held a press conference to announce the enforcement of a new law that prohibits the sale or advertisement of alcoholic beverages via digital channels.

From Monday, December 7, the sale and advertisement of alcoholic beverages online will be prohibited. Direct selling, persuading consumers, introducing products or other related services via digital channels that enable sellers to complete a sale without meeting the buyer face to face will be banned.

Those caught infringing the law face up to six months in prison and/or Bt10,000 in fines.