Thailand Disinformation Profile

Thailand Media Environment

The Thai government control almost all of the national terrestrial TV networks and many radio stations. Thailand is ranked 140 out of 180 in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index. Websites are subject to censorship, and Facebook is the most popular social media site. Thailand has over 64% internet penetration rate.

Notable disinformation incidents

Anti Separatist Messaging:

In March 2021 Facebook announced a takedown of a network with apparent links to the Thai military. The network consisted of 77 accounts, 72 pages, and 18 groups across Facebook, as well as 18 Instagram accounts. The network appeared to be targeting predominately Muslim residents of separatist-supporting Southern regions, that have witnessed sustained conflict over independence. According to Facebook, the network employed both fake and real accounts to manage its pages and groups, and posted content cheerleading the Thai regime and alleging violence perpetrated by insurgent groups. The network spent $350 on advertising over Facebook and Instagram and amassed a following of 700,000 people to its various pages.