State earns weak marks for messaging during tension

Bangkok Post

3 days ago

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.