Busy week sees a flurry of verified and dubious material online

After the word spread about former Princess Srirasm giving up her royal status last Saturday there was a pervasive amount of verified and unverified information and discussion on social media.

One example was the buzz, both online and in some mainstream media, suggesting she would change her name to “Bussaba”. Later on this was revealed not to be true. Some media published her picture while Srirasm – she still uses the same name – registered for a new identification card. 

The next topic was how the former princess, now Thanphuying Srirasm Suwadee, was given a fund for living expenses after her divorce from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and whether a picture circulated of the letter to the chairman of the Crown Property Bureau board on the payment was authentic.

Banyong Suwanpong, chairman of a committee on media ethics for the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and the Thai Journalists Association, issued a warning on the same day for the media not to use a picture of a nun that circulated in online media perhaps to confuse people that the nun was Srirasm. He warned the media to be careful while using pictures that circulate online.

@Thai_Talk wrote on Twitter: Compare the reporting of Thai and foreign news agencies, especially on topics Thais don’t dare [to touch]. How different in quality 

@youdunnowho wrote: I saw a few tweets of “this name” [Bussaba] a few times last night. I was stunned with how people like to act as “inner circle”. Many learn the same information but they didn’t want to say.

@kittinunn wrote: Sometimes the reporters covering the beat provide verified information but people choose not to believe. They on the other hand choose to totally believe Nai Dam Nai Daeng (the people they cannot verify).

Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung wrote on Facebook: Not sure, not share, please. 

On Monday, Finance Minister Sommai Phasi, who chairs the Crown Property Bureau board, confirmed that money was transferred for the former princess. However, the statement did not identify the amount. And it came with a request for the media not to disseminate any “improper” documents. 

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha refused to elaborate on Sommai’s statement and told the media to study the laws related to the Crown Property Bureau more.

Whether or not the mainstream media and social media users learned what happened, a lot of Thais have learned more about the Crown Property Bureau. 

Noppanan Arunvongse na Ayudhaya wrote on Facebook: “It no longer matters if the [document] was authentic or not, provocation might break out from now on. Good luck and stay safe, everyone.” 

Other topics discussed this week were the first leg of the final match of the AFF Suzuki Cup, with the Thai and Malaysian teams playing for the trophy, the global economy and stock-market slump, and the Information and Communication Technology Ministry’s project to launch Line stickers on the “12 National Values” with a budget of more than Bt7 million. The suitability of the ministry’s action was criticised by many, and people also questioned the project’s transparency. 

The other topic heavily discussed on social media since Thursday evening was an accident when a truck went against traffic lights to hit and kill a woman on a crosswalk in Bangkok’s Asoke area. 

@Chiangmailian wrote on Twitter: Crossing on the crosswalk and when the traffic light for vehicles was red and got hit, we pedestrians have to think hard about safety when we have to share the roads with these non-disciplined drivers.

@Richart_NOW26: Nowadays, does Bangkok belong to cars or the people? Where is the safety and quality of life? Drivers who violate traffic rules are no different from murderers.

@Meawzilaz wrote: A foreigner at my office asked why Thais had not seen crossing the roads [as] problematic, why we cannot solve the problems, why Thai drivers did not understand green light means go and red light means stop.

Yesterday on both Twitter and Facebook many shared the news of how pedestrians around that area have adapted and show red flags while crossing the road. But accidents were still reported.