In a bid to stop youngsters from seeing gambling, pornography and illegal websites, the Education Ministry will install the Plawan Browser developed by IT programmer Poramate Minsiri.

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang said half of about 8.4 million Thai Internet users were youngsters who faced an online risk.

A study found that 50 per cent of youths believed Internet pornography was ordinary and acceptable. Some 70 per cent admitted having online chats with strangers, while 13 per cent said they had sex with strangers they met via the Internet.

"We plan to make 2007 the year of safe and creative Internet use," Chaturon said.

Poramate, president of the Thai Webmaster Association, said the Internet was useful, but it was too dangerous to allow a child to use it alone. The most worrying danger was inappropriate use of web cameras. It could also lead to worse problems, including suicide.

The browser allows screening of inappropriate websites. "When kids key in a URL on the blacklist, the browser will block the site automatically," Poramate said.

The ministry also plans to distribute 250,000 computers to schools nationwide in order to promote education via the Internet.

Schools will play an important role in providing information to parents about how they can protect their children from online dangers.

Primprai Suphapodok, chief executive officer of Patai Udom Suksa School in Bangkok, said the school pays Bt40,000 a month for Internet access with the screening service for its 200 computers. It also has two teachers in a computer class, with one checking whether students bypass the system and click on to bad sites.

"However, the most important thing is the students themselves. Students with self-discipline and honesty won't access inappropriate sites, even behind teachers' eyes," she said.

Vutthiwan Kongkhamas, headmistress of Bangkok's Yamsa-ard School for kindergarten and primary students, said some primary students tried to open the site of Playboy magazine without realising what kind of site it was.

"Nowadays, kids have easy access to the media and some inappropriate information, such as the names of pornography sites," she said.

Software preventing access to illegal sites is needed, but it is more important that teachers and parents closely watch children's online behaviour, she added.

The browser will be distributed on CD-ROMs or by free download from www.plawan.com.

The ministry and Thai Health Promotion Foundation will hold a competition to find model schools providing safe Internet access and digital education.

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot

The Nation