THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Apec's biggest social media hits? Hun Sen’s Covid and banner typo

Apec's biggest social media hits? Hun Sen’s Covid and banner typo

Social media analysis has revealed the top five topics of interest in the Apec Summit, which wraps up in Bangkok today.

Analytics company Wisesight used its Zocial Eye tools to collect data from social media users in Thailand between November 1 and 16.

The top five trending topics related to Apec were:

1. Leaders/representatives of 21 Apec economies, especially regarding who would come to the summit, with almost 4.5 million engagements (4,474,794). Popular topics included Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s positive Covid test, and US President Joe Biden not attending the summit in Bangkok.

2. Special holidays during Apec Summit week, at 1,345,202 engagements. The government announced November 16-18 as special holidays in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan to reduce traffic congestion during the summit.

3. Locations of Apec and related meetings, at 1,096,628 engagements. Popular topics included the removal of electricity poles on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and the renovation of roads and sidewalks to prepare for the summit. Many netizens complained that the government should work this fast on other city renovation projects around Thailand.

4. Traffic closures during Apec week, at 897,652 engagements. Several roads, expressways, public areas and an MRT subway station have been closed around the summit venue, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, to facilitate travel of Apec leaders.

5. The huge typo in a banner welcoming Apec leaders on Chalong Rat Expressway, at 565,798 engagements. The red-faced Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) quickly fixed the “Welcom” typo, but internet memes of the gaffe went viral and Exat threatened to sue.

Wisesight detected almost 5.5 million (5,466,785) Apec-related engagements on Thai social media, or 502,241 engagements per day. Facebook was the most popular platform with 54.31% of the engagements, followed by Twitter (25.43%), YouTube (7.98%), and others (12.28%).

The majority of posters were male (61.4%), while people aged 18-24 years posted the most Apec-related messages at 43.34%, followed by those aged 25-34 years at 32.93%.

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