Picture courtesy of Matichon

 

In a courageous move to clear her name, a Thai university student, referred to as Dear, has publicly refuted false allegations accusing her of spreading HIV to multiple male partners. The 20-year-old, a second-year accounting student at Mahasarakham University, fell victim to a malicious social media hoax that falsely depicted her as HIV-positive.

 

The defamatory rumours originated from a manipulated TikTok clip of Dear promoting her university. This altered clip, spreading false claims of Dear announcing her supposed HIV status and naming several alleged partners, quickly went viral with over 600,000 views and 60,000 shares. The ensuing online hate campaign left Dear humiliated and tarnished her reputation.

 

"I was ashamed and embarrassed. My dignity as a human was trampled," Dear expressed, highlighting her distress. Despite reaching out to the perpetrators to remove the post, she was met with mockery and subsequently blocked.

 

In a firm stand against the allegations, Dear revealed a legitimate hospital-issued blood test confirming her HIV-negative status. She has also filed a police complaint against the individual behind the fake TikTok account and vowed to pursue justice. "This was fake news, and it has destroyed my mental health. But I’m not hiding, I’m fighting," she declared.

 

Dear's mother shared her anguish over the ordeal, recounting the heartbreak of seeing strangers spew hateful comments about her daughter. "It’s lucky my daughter is strong — if she weren’t, this could have ended very differently," she added, acknowledging the toll such online abuse could take.

 

Mahasarakham University's Faculty of Accountancy and Management has shown unwavering support for Dear. During a press conference, Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charoen Sawithi confirmed that the imposter TikTok account, “น้องใหม่ มส 69,” was not affiliated with the institution. The university has taken legal action against those responsible under Thailand's Computer Crime Act 2017 and is providing Dear with legal and mental health support.

 

"No student should be subjected to this kind of abuse," Dr. Charoen stated emphatically, promising to pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law. The university urges the public to avoid sharing unsubstantiated claims that can irreparably damage lives.

 

Despite Dear's attempts to confront the fake TikTok user, she received a dismissive response. The user claimed TikTok removed the clip due to policy violations but dared her to find them. "This person hid behind a fake account and acted like a coward," Dear said, expressing her frustration at the lack of accountability.

 

Dear and her family are determined to see the case through, hoping their battle highlights the detrimental effects of online misinformation. Her mother cautions, "Please, don’t destroy someone’s life for clicks and shares," urging everyone to think critically about the content they spread online.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-04

 

 

Good for you young lady.

 

The problem is that the "social" media is completely uncontrolled and uncensored, and anybody can say what they want without any repercussion at all.

 

IMHO the "social media" should be regulated and each poster should be accountable for what he/she writes.

That's a...

If ever there was a legitimate case to pixelate a face, this is it. 

 

Why out her?

 

A Thai hotel successfully sued a foreigner for posting a fake negative review on the internet so this one should be a 'slam dunk' with much compensation forthcoming.

17 hours ago, impulse said:

If ever there was a legitimate case to pixelate a face, this is it. 

 

Why out her?

 

out her for what?

23 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"This was fake news, and it has destroyed my mental health. But I’m not hiding, I’m fighting," she declared.

Good, screw the person, in court that is.

On 6/4/2025 at 11:11 PM, billd766 said:

IMHO the "social media" should be regulated and each poster should be accountable for what he/she writes.

 

Regulated? No. But absolutely, people should be hel accountable for what they say, especially in a case like this when those words can be terribly harmful.

9 hours ago, mstevens said:

 

Regulated? No. But absolutely, people should be hel accountable for what they say, especially in a case like this when those words can be terribly harmful.

Hence the NEED for regulation and moderation.

8 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Hence the NEED for regulation and moderation.

looks like you just got what you asked for here.

 

Brave girl. I hope she gets the police to arrest the guy spreading this rumor.

On 6/4/2025 at 11:09 AM, snoop1130 said:

The 20-year-old, a second-year accounting student at Mahasarakham University, fell victim to a malicious social media hoax that falsely depicted her as HIV-positive.

 

Why do people read that crap (Tic Tok)?

On 6/4/2025 at 7:11 AM, billd766 said:

Good for you young lady.

 

The problem is that the "social" media is completely uncontrolled and uncensored, and anybody can say what they want without any repercussion at all.

 

IMHO the "social media" should be regulated and each poster should be accountable for what he/she writes.

In Thailand people can get in trouble for leaving a bad review about a restaurant. 

On 6/13/2025 at 8:13 AM, watchcat said:

Why do people read that crap (Tic Tok)?

 

The same reason people watch garbage TV shows.

On 6/4/2025 at 8:44 PM, impulse said:

If ever there was a legitimate case to pixelate a face, this is it. 

 

Why out her?

 

This is the part that she would obviously appreciate being publicised, the truth.