April Fool’s Day is no joke, warn Thai police

[webfact]

 

Thailand’s paranoia over so-called ‘fake news’ appears to have scuppered the plans of anyone  wishing to partake in some lighthearted fun on April 1st.

 

On Wednesday, killjoys at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) advised people in Thailand against sharing April Fool’s jokes online and said anyone that does so could be breaking the law.

 

Posting an April Fool’s joke could be considered as deliberately sharing fake news, the TCSD warned, and may be in breach of Thailand’s strict Computer Crimes Act. 

 

While April Fool’s day is celebrated in many countries around the world, it is not considered part of Thai culture, Channel 7 reported.

 

Because posting an April Fool’s online could be considered as deliberately and knowingly posting ‘fake news’, which is against the law in Thailand, it means that for all intents and purposes April 1st pranks are off limits.

 

The TCSD also reminded netizens that anyone in breach of the Computer Crime Act regarding  the deliberate sharing of so-called ‘fake news’ faces up to five years in jail and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.

 

The news is a blow to the team at Thaivisa which over the years has been quite partial to sharing April Fool’s Day pranks. 

 

However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand’s tech police have stepped up their warnings against sharing April Fool’s pranks online. 

 

For this reason, Thaivisa will not be sharing an April Fool’s joke this year.

 

Readers will have to make to do with the usual selection of news from around Thailand, some of which could perhaps seem like an April Fool’s, but we can assure you it isn’t.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-31

 

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[Thaiwrath]

Every day is April 1st with T.A.T. and the government here !

[keith101]

LOL oh well TIT , beggars belief .

[mtls2005]

So no update on the annual Spaghetti Tree harvests?

 

 

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

Was hoping to see an update on the worm wrangling horn blowers and annual scavenger hunt for the leprechauns 

[Wiggy]

No problem, we can enjoy the news items from the other 364 days of the year just as much.

[yeahbutif]

So is the post real ... .? . Or a April Fool joke a Day early...

[colinneil]

1.  

   20 minutes ago, webfact said:

   Posting an April Fool’s joke could be considered as deliberately sharing fake news.

   The above comment is laughable, considering it was made by members of the police farce here.????

[petermik]

Fake news...joking surely ????

[faraday]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

While April Fool’s day is celebrated in many countries around the world, it is not considered part of Thai culture

 

Neither is Christmas; so that's next on da hit list.

 

 

[PatOngo]

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

Posting an April Fool’s joke could be considered as deliberately sharing fake news,

That's ok, reality is a joke in Thailand!

[nikmar]

So no more TAT announcements then!

[Swiss1960]

13 minutes ago, nikmar said:

So no more TAT announcements then!

You beat me to it... tomorrow will be a day without ANY Thai govt news...

[4evermaat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

...For this reason, Thaivisa will not be sharing an April Fool’s joke this year.

 

Readers will have to make to do with the usual selection of news from around Thailand, some of which could perhaps seem like an April Fool’s, but we can assure you it isn’t.

 

Have fun with this one @rooster59

[khunPer]

For once I can trust the Thaivisa news on an April 1st...????????

[Changoverandout]

Is this an April fools joke? ????

[alant]

LOS, Land of Sad

[Misterwhisper]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

While April Fool’s day is celebrated in many countries around the world, it is not considered part of Thai culture, Channel 7 reported.

Neither is Valentine's Day or Christmas, yet you are quite enthusiastically partaking in those,

Could it be the money that's to be made... and which lets notions of "Thai culture" fly out the window? 

[robbioff]

4 hours ago, keith101 said:

LOL oh well TIT , beggars belief .

Thailand seems to have lost it’s sense of humour. A change of government could be required before long...

[Kerryd]

The April Fool's Joke is that there won't be an April Fool's joke.

I think the best one so far was the "news" that people would be able to start doing their 90 Day reports at any 7-11, just like paying a bill.

Lol at how many people thought that was real ! ????

[eastendanto]

fake news this is a pre April 1st joke????????????????????

[vandeventer]

So all the air pollution will not be gone tomorrow!!!

[djayz]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Was hoping to see an update on the worm wrangling horn blowers and annual scavenger hunt for the leprechauns 

Leave our leprechauns out of this! 

[taxin]

This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in months, haha ! This is a refreshing change to the usual “we are opening soon” articles, please, we need more laughs like this.

[crazykopite]

Thailand has had April Fools day for the last 365 days spewing out total BS with regards to allowing tourists back it ain’t going to happen folks not this year unless JC performs a miracle as he did with the 5 loaves and 3 fishes 

[champers]

Banned.

 

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Posting an April Fool’s joke could be considered as deliberately sharing fake news, the TCSD warned, and may be in breach of Thailand’s strict Computer Crimes Act

Going the same way as Myanmar..... backwards.

[apetryxx]

4 hours ago, internationalism said:

without a full vaccination program, that is a death sentence for tens of thousands. This would shut down public health system in those regions, as well as domestic tourism.

 

There are now many new strains, more dangerous than this from wuhan, to which thai probably were immune.

The first wave caused the strain from Italy, in March.

The second wave in december from myanmar workers came from virus from bangladesh

 

[apetryxx]

Does this mean we finally get rid of CNN?

[digger70]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Posting an April Fool’s joke could be considered as deliberately sharing fake news, the TCSD warned, and may be in breach of Thailand’s strict Computer Crimes Act. 

What about All the Fake news the Govment spreads around about everything including Imm ,Covid ,Traffic laws. They should be All in jail.