Thailand's connection to the Internet began in 1987 via the Australian Research and Edcuation Network using UUCP and SUNIII^[1] which transformed to full TCP/IP in 1992 to UUNET.^[2] This marked Thailand as an early participant in bringing the Internet to Asia.

This article needs to be updated. (June 2015)

As of 2021, Thailand has made significant progress, with an 85% internet penetration rate ^[3] and according to Ookla's insight in November 2022, Thailand ranked the fourth in the world for the fastest fixed broadband internet, with the median download speed of 205.63 Mbps.^[4] This places Thailand right behind Chile, China, and Singapore.

By 2023, the internet penetration rate brought notable changes to Thailand's approach to news and media. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reported a shift towards digital media as a key source for political news and discussions.^[5] Newer media outlets started to challenge traditional news reporting, altering long-standing journalistic practices. This change is reflected in the growing preference for getting news from online platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.^[6]

The majority of broadband internet access uses Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and VDSL. Some areas are covered by cable modems (using Docsis), G.shdsl and fibre to the home (FTTH). Consumer broadband internet bandwidth ranges from 10 Mbit/s to 300 Mbit/s (Up to 1 Gbit/s in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket). Medium and large businesses use leased lines or Ethernet Internet/MPLS where fiber optic cables link many office buildings in the central business district areas such as Bangkok's Sukhumvit, Silom, and Sathorn areas to the Thailand internet backbone.

A 3G UMTS/HSDPA network was launched in Bangkok and vicinity in December 2009 with speeds up to 7.2 Mbit/s on the 2100 MHz band. In late-2011, Telephone Organization of Thailand released 3G on HSPA+ technology covering all areas in Bangkok with speeds up to 42 Mbit/s. Major mobile network operators in Thailand also have released their 3G services at around the same time on the 850 MHz and 900 MHz bands with the same technology and connection speed. FTTH with speeds up to 1 Gbit/s is available in limited areas in major cities, including Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. 5G Cellular services were offered by AIS and True Move starting in 2020.

Thailand saw a rapid growth in the number of broadband users in 2005 with the initiation of unmetered broadband in 2004.^[7] There are 3,399,000 (2012) internet hosts in Thailand, the highest in Southeast Asia.^[8]

A 2013 study found that Thais spend an average of 16 hours on the internet per week.^[9]

• Country code top-level Domain (ccTLD): .th
  • Second Level Domains
    • .ac for academic institutions
    • .co for commercial companies
    • .in for individuals or any others (from 2002)
    • .go for governmental organizations
    • .mi for military organizations
    • .or for registered non-profit organizations
    • .net for officially registered internet service providers

Rights to operate as an internet service provider in Thailand are granted by the NTC (National Telecommunications Council).^[17]

Most broadband internet access in Thailand is offered via ADSL technology. Before 2002, broadband internet access was offered at more than 25,000 baht per month for a typical speed of 256 kbit/s. In 2002, TOT sparked a low-cost broadband internet war that caused rapid growth in broadband internet demands and has changed the way all the ISPs operate. With a ground-breaking price for an unlimited 256 kbit/s, TOT gained popularity among online gamers in Thailand. However, TOT was unable to provide services to the majority of people in Bangkok due to the fact that half of the fixed line telephone system was operated by Telecom Asia Co., Ltd (now known as True Corporation) under a concession. At the same time, Asia InfoNet started its own ADSL service with a "free online game airtime" strategy since they also operate Ragnarok Online, the most famous online game at that time. Outside of Bangkok, TT&T teamed up with CAT Telecom to provide unlimited 2 Mbit/s ADSL service after three months of operation.

It is commonly believed that the popularity of online gaming at that time sparked the demand for broadband internet in Thailand.^{[citation needed]}

Most broadband internet users in Thailand complain about the ISPs not being able to provide the speeds they promised. Many internet service providers have high contention ratios on home ADSL packages, sometimes up to 1:50. There was also limited international bandwidth due to CAT Telecom being the sole provider of an international internet gateway, but this has improved since the liberalization of internet gateway operations in 2005. At that time, most ISPs focused on expanding their domestic connections to accommodate online gaming demands. This led to a comeback of premium ADSL packages at a higher price for premium home users and corporate customers. Many users still argue that these packages will still not improve the international bandwidth availability for home users. Internet service providers are usually also criticized for throttling BitTorrent traffic.

Recently, there were dramatic increases in international bandwidth after the NTC authorized more ISPs to set up their own international internet gateways to cope with the growth in demand for contents requiring higher bandwidth.

In early-2009, Jasmine International launched ADSL services under the "3BB" brand in major cities offering speeds up to 3 Mbit/s for 590 baht. This prompted True Internet to expand their services to 8 Mbit/s from 5 Mbit/s and match 3BB prices.

In mid-2009, 3BB offered minimum speed 4 Mbit/s for 590 baht and expanded their services from 8 Mbit/s to 10 Mbit/s 1,490 baht per month, prompting True Internet to temporarily offer free upgrades for current 8 Mbit/s users to 12 Mbit/s. All of Maxnet's customers were also transferred to 3BB as part of the TT&T debt rehabilitation plan proposed by the debt holders. As of October 2009, True offers speeds up to 16 Mbit/s.

TOT and ADC have a local loop unbundling agreement allowing for ADC to provide ADSL services on TOT phone lines. Since most telephone wires in major cities are still on poles and not underground, there is no limit to how many phone lines can enter a building. This has prompted many ISPs to offer DSL services without phone service. A new wire is simply run to the premises requiring the service, bypassing the need for any further local loop unbundling agreements.

Despite the improvement of the internet in Thailand, there are still network issues, mostly concerning network latency. The delay on the network itself proved to be deleterious to competitive online gaming. Players claimed to have network issues which lost them games.

This section lists the commercial internet data centers (IDC) in Thailand.

Thailand is on Reporters Without Borders list of countries under surveillance in 2011.^[31] Thailand's Internet Freedom status is rated "Not Free" in the Freedom on the Net 2011 report by Freedom House, which cites substantial political censorship and the arrests of bloggers and other online users.^[32]

The national constitution provides for freedom of thought, speech and press "under many conditions" but the government seriously restricts these rights. The lèse-majesté law criminalizes expression insulting the Thai king, punishable by fifteen years' imprisonment.^[33]

Estimates put the number of websites blocked at over 110,000 and growing in 2010.^[34] It is estimated that the Thai government spends 1.7 million baht per day on digital surveillance.^[35]

According to the NGO Privacy International in a September 2016 report, "The Thai military government has counted on its police force to monitor online speech in order to curb dissent. But beyond the police force itself, the ruling military government has empowered networks of citizens whom it encourages to denounce those who post online content considered contrary to government policies."^[43] Following the May 2014 coup led by General Prayut, there was a sharp increase in online surveillance carried out by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the ruling junta. An updated Computer Crime Act in 2014 gave police broad powers to monitor online commentary, particularly social networking applications such as Facebook. In the two years since the coup, 527 people have been arrested, 167 tried in military court, and 68 charged with lèse-majesté. Conviction on a charge of lèse-majesté can carry a jail sentence of up to 15 years. Of the 68 cases in which people have been charged, 21 involved content posted on Facebook.^[44]

The "Cyber Scout" program was originally established in 2010 by the Thai Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT)—since renamed the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. The program became moribund shortly thereafter, but was revived by the NCPO following their coup d'etat. The aim of the Cyber Scouts is to encourage the "ethical and responsible use of information and communication technology" among youngsters and to create a network of young volunteers to monitor online content that could be deemed a threat to national security and the monarchy.^[45][46]

In December 2016, the junta-appointed Thai National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed an amendment to the 2007 Computer Crime Act^[47] that has been called, "...a grab bag of the worst provisions of the worst internet laws in the world, bits of the UK's Snooper's Charter, America's Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and the dregs of many other failed laws."^[48] Thai officials claim the changes protect people's rights from being violated on social and digital media while enhancing the digital economy.^[49] In a Bangkok Post editorial urging that the NLA reject the amendment, it noted that, "When the government first set out to revise the Computer Crime Act last year, it pledged that the change will not violate people's rights and freedoms. The resulting draft amendment shows anything but an attempt to maintain the promise. The NLA must vote it down."^[50] It passed unanimously.^[51]

• Internet censorship in Thailand
• Media of Thailand
• Telecommunications in Thailand
• Internet rush hour
• Thaimail