BANGKOK, March 1 (TNA) – Thai lawmakers have passed a
cyber security bill amid concerns by rights advocates of its threat to people’s
privacy.
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Thursday approved
the cyber security bill that proposed by a committee vetting the bill.
Given wide spread criticism, Saowani Suwancheep, the
committee chairperson, defended the draft that had been changed in response to
concerns.
She said in the NLA session that the cybersecurity bill
would help ensure national security in cyberspace, covering both public and
private sector databases.
Given the threat to national cybersecurity, it was necessary
to enact the bill that can tackle these threats effectively, she said.
After the cybersecurity bill was first proposed last year,
rights groups have raised concerns over sweeping state powers that will be able
to seize computers and servers without a court order.
A National Cybersecurity Agency that will be created under
the law will allow state officials to monitor online content and impose
censorship, critics say.
The NLA committee has said the bill will not affect ordinary
people except in certain circumstances and it includes an appeals process for
those to ensure legitimate acts by cybersecurity agencies. (TNA)
