Thailand seeks Web site shutdowns

BANGKOK, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Thai officials say they are seeking to shut down hundreds of Internet Web sites as part of their state of emergency decree to counter anti-government protests.

Mun Patanotai, the country's Minister of Information and Communications Technology, says his department has told Internet service providers to close down about 400 Web sites which the government deems to be national security threats, the British newspaper The Guardian reported Wednesday.

Thai communications officials claim the sites "disturbed the peaceful social order and morality of the people, and/or which were considered detrimental to national security."

The Guardian said Patanotai has also gone to court seeking permission to block an additional 1,200 Web sites.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Tuesday announced a series of emergency measures curtailing civil liberties in an effort to ease the protests, in which thousands have taken to the streets to demand his resignation.