Bangkok: At the Thonglor Police Station, Ms. Pannika Wanich, executive director of the Progressive Movement, has taken decisive legal action by filing a complaint against several social media users. The individuals named in the complaint are Pongprom Yamarat, Kraiphop Chandee, Anon Sakworawich, and the account "Bovornadej Jungrungsomthao." They are accused of defaming Ms. Pannika through the manipulation and distortion of her interview concerning the Thai-Cambodian conflict, alongside the dissemination of fake news.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Pannika clarified that the controversy began with a misleading post, falsely attributing statements to her about the public disclosure of military plans. She staunchly denied making such comments, asserting that the claims were fabricated and designed to harm her reputation. The post was widely shared, prompting her to take legal recourse against those responsible for spreading these falsehoods.
Ms. Pannika highlighted the systematic dissemination of false information through Information Operations (IO) pages, particularly pointing to "Bovornadej Jungrungsomthao" as part of the military's IO network. She accused this account of deliberately editing clips from her appearance on the program "Debate Without Argument," which criticized the Anutin Charnvirakul government. These edits, she claimed, were intended to incite public misunderstanding and outrage by omitting critical context from her remarks.
She further questioned the portrayal of the People's Democratic Party as being aligned with Hun Sen, the Cambodian Prime Minister, and emphasized the need for the Thai public to discern the truth amidst misleading narratives. Ms. Pannika recalled past incidents where false rumors were spread against political parties like the Move Forward Party, and she urged the public to be critical of information that lacks credible sources.
Ms. Pannika called for fairness and urged the public to base their electoral decisions on accurate information, warning of the increasing prevalence of edited and AI-generated content that may mislead voters. She appealed to the Election Commission to address the issue of fake news with the same seriousness as vote-buying, urging them to ensure a fair electoral process.
Following the filing of the complaint, the investigating officers have committed to reviewing all evidence and proceeding with the defamation charges, along with any additional related charges.