Updated: Egypt, Thailand

This is a post provided by a long-time PPT reader:

Anyone following the situation in Thailand this past year has wondered at least once if a modern (at least in certain sectors) economy like Thailand’s could actually function if the government were to suddenly shut down the internet and mobile phone networks in an attempt to suppress a large-scale opposition movement.

In Thailand there are millions of Facebook and Twitter users, many of whom are on the government side of the equation, almost the entire population use their mobile phones constantly throughout the day, for social reasons as well as for business and other essential communication. How would the banks, businesses, hotels, tourism and many other business sectors who use the internet and mobile communications for a large percentage of their business communication, transactions, controls, etc. deal with such a drastic stoppage?

Well, in Egypt , apparently the government has attempted to shut the entire internet (not just blocked certain sites) and the entire mobile phone system (which like Thailand is used by just about the entire population in a country with a poor landline service). The government waited until the Egyptian weekend (Friday/Saturday), maybe hoping they could turn it all back on Sunday in time for the heavy business traffic, but if the opposition demonstrations continue past the weekend, and the internet and mobile phone service are still turned off, what will be the various unintended and unforeseen consequences as Egypt, like Thailand, also has some modern business sectors which use the internet constantly for their communication and transactions and very large mobile phone companies?

The present Thai government will be watching closely and with considerable interest.

The same reader sent this link on the Egyptian military. Worth comparing to the Thai military.

Update: Great set of high-quality pictures here.

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