webfact Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Military ‘exposed in online poll fraud’ politics February 05, 2018 07:00 By KAS CHANWANPEN THE NATION File photo in 2014 CSI LA FACEBOOK PAGE REVEALS EVIDENCE SOLDIERS WERE ORDERED TO BACK PRAWIT THE JUNTA could have shot itself in the foot after its online information operation (IO) targeting websites and social media was revealed, casting its credibility in a bad light, which could eventually lead the public to lose trust in the military government, analysts said yesterday. The military has been thoroughly embarrassed in its attempt to distort a poll held by the whistleblower Facebook page CSI LA, which played a major role in exposing Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan’s possession of luxury watches. The poll asked netizens whether they wanted Prawit to resign after the general made a pledge last week, saying “if the people don’t want me, I’m ready to leave”. During the first days after the poll was posted, the result was clear as tens of thousands of online voters said they wanted Prawit to leave. Then over the weekend, the numbers changed dramatically, showing more people wanting him to stay. However, the page administrator, who claims to be a data scientist, has reported irregularities in the data demonstrating that votes in favour of Prawit had come from the same computer network and users had voted multiple times. In addition, screenshots of an online conversation were posted on the page in which junior officials explained to the page administrator how soldiers had been ordered to vote in the poll. Almost as soon as Prawit made his comments last Wednesday offering to resign, several sites – including the Teenee Thai PBS news programme on the public broadcasting channel Thai PBS – launched online polls asking people to cast votes on whether the deputy prime minister should stay in office. The online poll results indicated a clear majority wanted Prawit to leave office. The junta number-two has made no comment about the poll so far. The disclosure of the operation targeting the CSI LA page has led many members of the public to conclude that it was an attempt to save Prawit and his position in the Cabinet, with an often repeated view that “the regime’s desperation” has become another joke. The deliberate manipulation only reflected the regime’s ignorance of and inability to keep up with the changing world, said political critic Sirote Klampaiboon. “When they act on the Internet or social media, there are always footprints that are traceable,” the political scientist said. “And when people find out that it’s all made up, their feelings can turn to antipathy.” Sarinee Achavanuntakul, a key member of the Thai Netizen Network, said she also saw the operation having an adverse effect for the junta government, which had “only made a fool of themselves after being busted”. “That is the case now more than ever as the government’s popularity is in decline. More and more questions are being raised about corruption and the election,” she said. “They have to go hard on the IO. But it is difficult to distort the truth or say that the criticism [of the junta] isn’t true. “Consequently, they were forced to use old tactics, like attacking the previous government. And it doesn’t look good. Everything just goes further south for them,” Sarinee added. For one thing, the case showed how the military’s mentality focused mostly on warfare, she said, questioning in this case who the “enemy” was. “Is it the people? They taking to the Internet and dissimulating all these half-truths, in an operation funded by the taxpayers’ money, to fight against who exactly?” And given that the military was already viewing the Internet activity negatively and as being deceitful, operations that relied on propaganda only worsened the situation, Sarinee said. Meanwhile, Army spokesman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantrawanich denied speculation about the issue on Saturday, saying if poll respondents really were soldiers, the number would have been in the hundreds of thousands, given the total number of soldiers across the country. Given the “dignity of the military”, it was unlikely that it would do such a thing, he added. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30337947 -- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramrod711 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 This Prawit issue is going to bring Prayut down. Generals are supposed to analyze and act. Twiddling his thumbs while his deputy makes him look powerless and indecisive will be his downfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isaanbanhou Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 (edited) Shocking behaviour for a junta to engage in. Do they really think that they can fool the people into thinking they have support? I'm sure the junta apologists see how easily manipulated they are and stop posting about their undying love for licking boots and kissing *&& Edited February 5, 2018 by isaanbanhou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazySlipper Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 As far as I am concerned, the only thing I care about is the fact that the PM inflates the Thai baht to sponsor his shopping spree for military toys. American dollar down to 30 baht to the dollar is quite indicative to me that sooner or later it will not be the populace that will get him, but the economy. Who knows, by then maybe the Chinese Yuan that will be in control over the greenback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkidlad Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 24 minutes ago, webfact said: Given the “dignity of the military”, it was unlikely that it would do such a thing, he added. But there’s evidence that they did do such a thing. “Officer, I couldn’t have killed him, because I’m a saint”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksidedog Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 26 minutes ago, webfact said: The deliberate manipulation only reflected the regime’s ignorance of and inability to keep up with the changing world, said political critic Sirote Klampaiboon. Stupidity and deceit. Hardly attractive traits in your political leaders. And if they can try to deceive the public on this, how can they be trusted with anything? Time to go NCPO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiwrath Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 56 minutes ago, webfact said: which could eventually lead the public to lose trust in the military government, I think it's a bit late to worry about that, any trust in the military government went a good while back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave67 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I'm posting more on the BKK post forums now and the Junta is getting slammed on a daily basis mainly in the opinion articles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcula Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, webfact said: The junta number-two has made no comment about the poll so far. Perhaps, another Junta number-two could speak on his behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeneeds Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Reprisals and face saving will go on for all time, Sincerely, thank you for the good roads you have provided in my area, NOW Stop moving the goal posts, have the date sealed for the upcoming election, remove article 44, and we can move on, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Might have been Russia,meddling in the polls regards worgeordie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anon537687643 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The Thai Junta would often quote an opinion poll that showed 90%+ popularity of itself over the last 4 years ! Fake corrupted polls just as the vote on constitution was !Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coulson Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 They should have asked the Russians to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, webfact said: “When they act on the Internet or social media, there are always footprints that are traceable,” I'm guessing it was various obscure internet cafes on the 'road map' route ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowboat Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 30 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said: I think it's a bit late to worry about that, any trust in the military government went a good while back. It just confirms what people already think. As people start to lose their fear, more things will probably come out. Perhaps one day Thailand will stop turning to the military to solve problems, as it is obvious they are poorly suited to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soalbundy Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 'Dignity of the military' perhaps if Prawit wore a jock strap that could give him some dignity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SABloke Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Just now, webfact said: Meanwhile, Army spokesman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantrawanich denied speculation about the issue on Saturday, saying if poll respondents really were soldiers, the number would have been in the hundreds of thousands, given the total number of soldiers across the country. Only if they all voted in the poll. So if 10,000 soldiers followed orders and voted in the poll, they are not soldiers, because all the soldiers must do the same thing in order for them to exist as soldiers? His "logic" leaves me confused and bemused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry15 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 hour ago, LazySlipper said: As far as I am concerned, the only thing I care about is the fact that the PM inflates the Thai baht to sponsor his shopping spree for military toys. American dollar down to 30 baht to the dollar is quite indicative to me that sooner or later it will not be the populace that will get him, but the economy. Who knows, by then maybe the Chinese Yuan that will be in control over the greenback. Its the US $ who is weakening, The Thai baht is going down compare with the EURO, so is the US dollar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisY1 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Thailand 4.0....and no-one in this government obviously understands that internet activities can be traced easily. Absolutely precious this, and the computer crimes act comes to mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samui Bodoh Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 2 hours ago, webfact said: For one thing, the case showed how the military’s mentality focused mostly on warfare, she said, questioning in this case who the “enemy” was. “Is it the people? They taking to the Internet and dissimulating all these half-truths, in an operation funded by the taxpayers’ money, to fight against who exactly?” I find the comments above the most interesting in the story. If this story is true, and I can think of no reason to believe that it isn't, then it tells us that the military knows already that it is terribly unpopular and unlikely to retain power in any legitimate manner. Further, it knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Prawit's watch(es) are an issue of such importance in the upcoming political campaigns that it feels the need to use subversive tactics to try to combat it. Or put another way, they are running scared. Keep at it, Thai people! Military 101 is to figure out your foes' objective and deny it to them. In this case, the Junta's objective is legitimacy; circle the wagons and focus on denying that legitimacy as part of a campaign to oust them from political life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YetAnother Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 3 hours ago, webfact said: Given the “dignity of the military”, it was unlikely that it would do such a thing, he added. that is jaw-droppingly stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klauskunkel Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Is this then a computer crime (distorting facts using a computer and publishing lies via Internet)? Of course not. This was committed by the junta to serve the junta and the junta is a benevolent entity, hence incapable of criminal behavior. If the same had been committed by persons not affiliated with the government, then of course it would be a crime, because they have malicious intent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seajae Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 when the military first took over and stopped the killing it was good, they returned confidence with the people. When they started to weed out the corrupt officials/people it was good too, showed they were doing the right thing, they actually instigated/promised several moves that would have made Thailand a great country but unfortunately they didnt follow through on them and have started going the other way like all previous govts. To be honest I doubt any of the political groups in Thailand would be able to fix all the crap as they are all in it for themselves, in this country money/wealth rules and corruption is a big part of it in every walk of life here, no one has any regard for anyone else or the betterment of the country, it is all purely about them and their own/families status. The military has run its race and its time to go, thing is will they do it quietly or will they fight to stay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayboy Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 It just confirms what people already think. As people start to lose their fear, more things will probably come out. Perhaps one day Thailand will stop turning to the military to solve problems, as it is obvious they are poorly suited to do so. You raise an interesting point about losing fear.In this context there are only two intelligent choices for the Junta, namely to accept its mission has been a failure and embrace democracy even in the knowledge it may get messy OR to crush all dissent ruthlessly and impose its agenda by force.What doesn’t make any sense is its current behaviour - aimless dithering punctuated by childish fits of pique.Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krataiboy Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The words last straw and camel's back come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungstib Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Once again they have broken their own laws. Caught in their own net and too unrepentant too even care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lawrence Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The beauty of the 'net' community. The lord givith and the lord taketh. Propaganda exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lawrence Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Anyone know who the two girls are on the end. I want to go full commando! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Loh Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 As though I am surprised. They robbed an elected government, stole freedom, muzzled the country and they fraud the polls. The circle is almost completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ib1b4 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 3 hours ago, Darcula said: Perhaps, another Junta number-two could speak on his behalf. Perhaps they are in shock? Afte rall this same operation worked perfectly well for the Thai refferendum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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