Thailand Denies Collecting Cambodian Soldiers' Bodies, Highlights Risks of Fake News

Strategic Insights -

A recent development in Thailand has sparked controversy surrounding the National Security Council's (NSCC) denial of collecting Cambodian soldiers' bodies. The NSCC has stated that reports of such actions are entirely false, prompting questions about the authenticity of information circulating from Cambodia. According to sources, fake news and false information continue to spread, causing panic, anxiety, and confusion among the public.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Security Council (NSCC) has denied reports that the Second Army Commander ordered the collection of Cambodian soldiers' bodies, stating them to be 100% false.
  • The CNCC has urged Cambodian leaders to not neglect their brave soldiers by leaving their bodies for vultures to devour.
  • Mr. Jirayu Huangsap, a member of the Thai-Cambodian Border Situation Administration (CBSA), revealed that fake news and false information have been circulating from Cambodia, including a message that "Lt. Gen. Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the Second Army Region, ordered troops to collect the bodies of Cambodians near the border".
  • The Second Army Region Commander clarified that he never ordered troops to collect the bodies, and that he only requested Cambodian leaders to order the collection of the bodies of numerous soldiers for religious rites.
  • The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE)'s weekly fake news monitoring report found that most news stories were about security issues between Thailand and Cambodia, which impacted society.
  • The public is urged to verify news before sharing, as disseminating or sharing false news violates Section 14 of the Computer Crimes Act, carrying a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine not exceeding 100,000 baht, or both.
  • The government has established a 1111 hotline (24 hours a day) for reporting fake news or online crimes.

Statistics:

  • 100% of reports of the Second Army Commander ordering the collection of Cambodian soldiers' bodies are false (Source: NSCC)
  • 5 years imprisonment is the maximum penalty for disseminating false news under Section 14 of the Computer Crimes Act (Source: Thai Law)
  • 100,000 baht is the maximum fine for disseminating false news under Section 14 of the Computer Crimes Act (Source: Thai Law)
  • The 1111 hotline is available 24 hours a day for reporting fake news or online crimes (Source: Thai Government)

Sources:

  • NSCC (Thai National Security Council)
  • Jirayu Huangsap, member of the Thai-Cambodian Border Situation Administration (CBSA)
  • Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE)'s weekly fake news monitoring report
  • Thai Government (1111 hotline)