Thai social-media users falling less for fake news: DES Ministry
Thai netizens appear to have wised up to fake news and are not sharing any and everything on social media, the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry said on Sunday.
Spokesperson Noppawan Huajaimun said the ministry has found that each of the top 10 fake news items over the past week had only managed to capture the attention of up to 100 Thai social networkers.
This is an indication that Thai netizens are now able to identify fake news, she said.
From September 9 to 15, the ministry checked 170 fake news items. Of them, the top 10 were:
• The Public Health Ministry has set up a website for people to register for Covid-19 compensation.
• Drinking alcohol for seven consecutive days will boost immunity, even for pregnant women.
• Stock Exchange of Thailand allows people to invest as little as 1,000 baht in East Coast Furnitech and the yields are high.
• The Government Savings Bank approves loans in three minutes.
• Typhoon Muifa will hit Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, and Ubon Ratchathani.
• A new therapy has been invented for treating people choking on food or developing cramps.
• The Government Savings Bank and Krungthai Bank have joined private companies to provide loans of 5,000 to 300,000 baht via Line application.
• People suffering from chronic headaches and blood in their phlegm will be prone to strokes and partial paralysis.
• Four storms will hit the Northeast and Central region.
• Haemorrhoids can be cured by abstaining from meat for seven days and eating mushrooms frequently.
“It’s clear that people have caught up to fake news judging by the complaints placed via the www.thaipoliceonline.com website,” Noppawan said. “Five months after the website opened, complaints about fake news have dropped by 80 per cent.”
