Information systems for national security in Thailand: ethical issues and policy implications

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/14779960810888356
Date27 June 2008
Pages141-160
Published date27 June 2008
AuthorKrisana Kitiyadisai
Subject MatterInformation & knowledge management
Information systems for national
security in Thailand: ethical
issues and policy implications
Krisana Kitiyadisai
Department of Public Administration, Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok, Thailand
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explicate the influence of US national security approach on
the Thai Government’s national security, the criticisms on the US and Thai intelligence communities
and ethical debates on national databases, including the introduction of the concepts of “spiritual
computing” and Buddhism to the ethical aspect of intelligence databases.
Design/methodology/approach – The methodology of this paper is based on the interpretative
approach which includes literature survey and interviews of the intelligence community (IC) in
Thailand. The relevant literature survey consists of the literature on US intelligence databases for
Homeland Security, criticisms of the IC, the ethical debate on national databases in the USA, the Thai
National Security Council, ethical debates on the Internal Security Act and Computer Crime Act,
Buddhism and “spiritual computing.”
Findings – The findings reflect that the US model of national security has significant influence on
the Thai intelligence approach and application of IT for national security while both intelligence
communities have similar intelligence problems and have raised ethical debates on violations of
human rights.
Research limitations/implications – The research limitations include the nature of the topic
which is a closed subject under legal restrictions in Thailand so that the sources of official information
could not be disclosed nor elaborated in details; and literature on this topic has not been widely
available except unclassified information which limits a more in-depth investigation and analysis.
Originality/value – The value of this paper lies in being the first attempt to throw light on a
“forbidden” subject in Thailand by discussing the US experiences against the Thai case study.
The application of “spiritual computing” and Buddhist precepts to the context of national security and
intelligence databases could be a starting point for developing a “happier” and “successful” IC and
possibly open a new approach to national security.
Keywords Thailand, Religion,Human rights, Database management, State security
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Since the 9/11attacks in the USA and subsequent attacks in major cities in Europe, the
Middle East and South East Asia, national security has become the most important
policy – one that governments willingly support with large budgets and significant
legal restrictions. The investigation over the failure of the intelligence community (IC)
in preventing the 9/11 attacks had led to the reform of the intelligence agencies and
establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. The advantageous use of
information technology for intelligence purposes have led to the creation of various
databases for capturing personal data, information systems for screening airline
passengers, data mining systems for identifying potential terrorists and predicting
patterns of suspicious activities. However, the revelations of secret databases and the
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1477-996X.htm
Ethical issues
and policy
implications
141
Journal of Information,
Communication & Ethics in Society
Vol. 6 No. 2, 2008
pp. 141-160
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/14779960810888356
government’s eavesdropping on its citizens in the press have led to public objections
and congressional investigations. The ethical debate in the USA involves the violation
of privacy rights and liberty as enshrined in the constitution, including the possib ility
of the abuse and misuse of personal data. The aftershocks of the 9/11 attacks have
affected the Asian region at both levels of domestic politics and international relations
( Jendrzejczyk, 2001). Several Asian countries started an ti-terrorism campaign and
passed internal security law such as the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Singapore,
Malaysia and Thailand.
Thailand with her insurgency problems in the three southern provinces with largely
Muslim population together amidst increasing violence and coordinated bomb attacks,
the issue of national security has been widely debated and become a very important
policy. The Thai Government has also restructured the intelligence agencies
and proposed a new ISA and has remodeled the internal intelligence agency on the US
Homeland Security. Resources have been provided for the construction of
computer-based information systems, databases and computer networks in the effort
to improve the quality of intelligence and to prevent terrorist attacks, including the
monitoring of terrorist activities. However, the IC in Thailand also suffered from
failures and problems similar to those in the USA. Activists, academics, and the public
have voiced concern over the issues of privacy rights and the infringement of human
rights with respect to the new constitution.
This paper will discuss background information of the agencies involved in
intelligence such as the National Security Council (NSC), problems of the IC and related
legal provisions and the ensuing ethical debate. Since the Thai intelligence agencies
have been largely influenced by the US model, the first part of the paper draws on some
background discussion on the US IC, the homeland security, databases and data
mining, including the ethical debates in the US. The second part discusses the issues of
national security in Thailand, the IC failures, information systems and databases.
The final part will focus on the impacts of intelligence databases and new legal
provisions on personal privacy. The US intelligence failure and experience, the
limitation of information technology in preventing terrorist attacks and identifying
potential terrorists will cont ribute towards a better unde rstanding of policy
implications in Thailand. Some practical suggestions on public policies will be
offered and the concept of “spiritual computing” will be discussed in conjunction with
some Buddhist concepts in order to explore the possibility of applying spiritual
concepts to public policy.
US national security response to 9/11
In response to the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush used an executive order to
create a new Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Council. Several
legislators expressed objections to the directors’ lacking of statutory authority or
congressional mandate while others called for a major congressional reorganisation
(Becker, 2002). Subsequently, the president and Congress voted for the creation of a
new Department of Homeland Security (Allen, 2002). However, questions were raised
among critiques whether a massive consolidation and centralised structure would be
the most appropriate intelligence organisation in response to terrorist threats
(Conley, 2002). Combating terrorism has become the main concern of the US Homeland
Security by implementing security regimes and improving intelligence capabilities.
JICES
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