NBTC tells ISPs to remove pirate movies

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Tuesday asked internet service providers to block 36 websites streaming pirated movies or shows.

Takorn Tantasith, NBTC secretary-general, said the telecom regulator convened a meeting of 12 big ISPs and representatives of filmmakers at its office in Bangkok on Tuesday to coordinate efforts to tackle copyright violations by websites illegally streaming movies and cashing in on advertisements.

The National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations had requested the NBTC's action on the matter twice, and the regulator had recommended it to file a complaint with police first so the NBTC could seek ISPs' cooperation, Mr Takorn said.

As the issuer of ISP licences, the NBTC can ask them to take action following filmmakers' official complaint. Mr Takorn said that the NBTC would make the request in writing soon.

How long the ISPs would take to handle the issue would depend on individual ISPs as the issue was new to them, Mr Takorn said.

The NBTC and ISPs do not know which movies had been illegally broadcasted on the net, he said.

The federation already filed its complaint with the Economic Crime Suppression Division, targeting 36 websites, the NBTC secretary-general said.

Pornchai Wongsri-udomporn, director of the federation, said many websites were streaming movies and a search via Google showed that there were more than 2 million such contents.

While showing pirated movies, such websites make money from advertisements including those on pornographic and gambling sites, a further proof they are inappropriate, he said.