Protests again at Epping migrant hotel under police watch
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Bangkok Post
5 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
State earns weak marks for messaging during tension
Social media platforms in Thailand recorded 2.6 million messages in July about Thailand-Cambodia border tensions, with Facebook, YouTube and X, formerly called Twitter, the top three channels. However, communication executives said government officials still fail to effectively communicate during crises and amid cyberwarfare. According to Kla Tangsuwan, chief executive of Wisesight, a social media analytics firm, the dispute generated total engagement of 606 million messages on Thai social media last month, with peak engagement on July 24 with 129 million messages. The 2023 general election only generated 1.42 million messages and 95.2 million engagements over a one-month span, noted Wisesight. The border dispute produced twice the volume of messages as the general election and five times the engagement. "We detect spam and there are a lot of messages from bots using the Cambodian language," said Mr Kla. "It's starting to become a misinformation operation, manipulating people across the country and making them doubt what's real on both sides of the dispute.' There is no Thai special communications centre on the border tension, unlike for other major events such as the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic or the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025. Thailand needs to communicate facts without opinion to international media and adopt a proactive approach rather than reactive responses, he said. The country needs to demonstrate facts with evidence, build public awareness with verified and emotionally-resonant communication, and adopt a fair and transparent international communication approach, he said. Pawat Ruangdejworachai, chief executive of Media Intelligence Group, said earlier in the week Thailand's reactive, timid messaging has allowed the 'other side' to build sustained momentum through low-cost, emotionally charged media, targeting bottom-tier audiences. Cambodian messages focus on volume over quality, flooding the conversation with gossip, he said. 'When the opposing side communicates, it sometimes dilutes trust in Thailand among international stakeholders,' said Mr Pawat. Mana Treelayapewat, a lecturer in communication at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the government's crisis communication efforts have been insufficient as it needs better coordination and timely, clear messages to relevant stakeholders. This situation requires a dedicated, centralised "war room" to manage messaging, counter misinformation, and present a unified voice across government, military and media channels, he said. When only fragmented information is released, confusion and rumours thrive, said Mr Mana. Thais tend to amplify and share what they hear, while opposing actors exploit the vacuum to release their own narratives, he said, which is why government spokespeople must communicate clearly, credibly and in multiple languages. Counter-narratives must clarify and correct information consistently, as the online world moves faster than official updates, said Mr Mana. He said the Government Public Relations Department (PRD) must have intense coordination with key ministries, developing a unified crisis communication command centre to coordinate with the media, adversaries, and the public.
Bangkok Post
5 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Woman jailed for ‘Face Off' cosmetic surgery scam
The Criminal Court sentenced Xeping Chaiyasan to four years in prison for defrauding the public through a cosmetic surgery scheme known as 'Face Off.' Xeping, 52, widely promoted as a plastic surgery specialist, was found guilty under Sections 341 and 343 of the Criminal Code for public fraud, Section 14(1) of the Computer Crime Act for inputting false data and the Consumer Protection Act for misleading advertising. The case, filed by Yupin Saenkam from Roi Et, centred on Xeping's role in promoting and arranging facial surgeries between August 2017 and August 2018. The project falsely claimed procedures were performed at world-class hospitals with minimal or no scarring and negligible swelling. These misleading claims persuaded the plaintiff and others to undergo surgery, paying hundreds of thousands of baht. Ms Yupin said she paid 368,500 baht for a facelift but was left with disfiguring scars, chronic pain, numbness, itching and a distorted face caused by broken internal threads. Her ear was reportedly deformed, resulting in a witch-like appearance. The court ruled that the offences were part of a single scheme, imposing the maximum applicable sentence. Only Xeping, the first defendant, was indicted after a preliminary case review. At the hearing, both Xeping and the plaintiff's lawyer, Phinyophat Chittawan, appeared in court. Xeping is currently applying for bail while filing an appeal. A source said this is not her first conviction. The Criminal Court has previously handed down prison sentences to Xeping and her associates in several other cases involving similar fraudulent cosmetic procedures.
Bangkok Post
6 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Thai media deny lack of reporting ethics
Three major Thai media organisations issued a joint statement on Thursday, strongly rejecting accusations from the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) that Thai media lack ethics in reporting on the Thai-Cambodian border conflict. The statement called the claims unacceptable and defamatory and urged the CCJ to take responsibility for ethical oversight and disinformation control within Cambodia. The statement came from the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), the Society for Online News Providers (SONP) and the National Union of Journalists Thailand (NUJT). The statement demanded that the CCJ cease interfering in Thai media's internal affairs and fulfil its duty to rigorously examine the ethical conduct of Cambodian media, free from control or dominance. It called on the CCJ to take tangible measures to address fake news and disinformation originating and spreading online from Cambodia, noting numerous instances of such disinformation. The Thai media stressed its commitment to ethical self-regulation, saying: "We are fully committed to and respectful of the rights and freedoms of the public and the press. We reaffirm our dedication to reporting based on ethics, impartiality, and accuracy, without inciting hatred between our two nations, and with a genuine desire for peace." It added that the TJA will temporarily suspend relations with the CCJ until the situation normalises, citing concerns that the CCJ is acting more as a government mouthpiece than as an independent organisation. The TJA had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the CCJ to foster mutual understanding through media cooperation.
