Audio clips of Prawit expressing PM ambitions AI-generated: aide
A speaker referred to as ‘Uncle’ is heard in one of four clips aired on Channel 9 as saying he wanted a ‘chance to be No 1 as well’
An aide to Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Prawit Wongsuwan insisted that the audio clips played in a TV show on Thursday morning were generated using AI technology.
PPRP deputy spokesman Samart Jenchaijitwanit was referring to four audio clips played during the “Inside Thailand” programme on Channel 9. While the host did not mention Prawit by name, the speaker in the clips was referred to as “Uncle”, a nickname often associated with Prawit.
Former PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha and his then-deputy Prawit were colloquially known as Uncle Tu (Prayut) and Uncle Pom (Prawit).
In one of the four clips, a person sounding like Prawit was heard speaking with three other men, saying: “I have been a deputy working for the prime minister for a long time. Now I would like the people to give me a chance to be No. 1 as well.”
Samart claimed that these clips were intended to cause misunderstanding about Prawit’s intentions.
It is believed that Pheu Thai Party’s patriarch Thaksin Shinawatra pushed for PPRP to be removed from the coalition because of Prawit’s ambitions for the top post.
Samart, however, explained that artificial intelligence technology has advanced to the point where it is possible to not only create fake audio but also video clips. He cited a recent example, where a video of Prawit allegedly singing a song with Thaksin had been released.
Meanwhile, the ruling party has brought in the 25-MP Democrat Party and wooed the 20-member strong faction led by former PPRP secretary-general Thamanat Prompow to offset the loss of the 40-MP PPRP.
