Military ‘exposed in online poll fraud’

[webfact]

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

[ramrod711]

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.

[isaanbanhou]

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

[LazySlipper]

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.

[rkidlad]

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”. 

[darksidedog]

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.

[Thaiwrath]

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.

[Dave67]

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. 

[Darcula]

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.

[leeneeds]

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, 

 

 

[worgeordie]

Might have been Russia,meddling in the polls 

regards worgeordie

[anon537687643]

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 !


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[coulson]

They should have asked the Russians to do it

[RichardColeman]

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 !

[yellowboat]

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. 

[soalbundy]

'Dignity of the military' perhaps if Prawit wore a jock strap that could give him some dignity

[SABloke]

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.

[henry15]

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

[ChrisY1]

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!

[Samui Bodoh]

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.

 

 

[YetAnother]

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

[klauskunkel]

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.

[seajae]

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

[jayboy]

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.


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[Krataiboy]

The words last straw and camel's back come to mind.

[Lungstib]

Once again they have broken their own laws. Caught in their own net and too unrepentant too even care.

[Chris Lawrence]

The beauty of the 'net' community. The lord givith and the lord taketh. 

 

Propaganda exposed.

[Chris Lawrence]

Anyone know who the two girls are on the end. I want to go full commando!

[Eric Loh]

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. 

[ib1b4]

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.