Bangkok Bomb Rumours Prompt Online Watch

[webfact]

SOCIAL NETWORK
Bomb rumours prompt online watch
PATINYA IAMTAN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Police will keep a closer eye on the spread of frightening rumours on social-media websites following postings that falsely claimed government agencies were warning of bombings in Bangkok.

Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) chief Pol Maj-General Pisit Pao-in said his agency would make structural changes in the next seven days in which it would increase the number of sub-divisions from seven to 12 and boost the number of officers and tools to monitor cyber threats. The TCSC currently has 120 officers.

The agency will set up a "war room" where 20 officers would each monitor one screen around the clock to keep an eye on social media. Currently, only two officers are assigned to this duty.

The TCSC's moves are in response to national police chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew's instructions that came after rumours in the social media that government agencies were warning of more bombings in Bangkok following a recent blast in the Ramkhamhaeng area.

If any posts in the social media claimed to be disseminated by government agencies, the TCSD will verify them and if found to be false, the agency will seek to block the offending website.


-- The Nation 2013-06-04

[tominbkk]

Oh great, more monitoring and censoring.

[BookMan]

It isn't going to be that hard to implement. I strongly suspect that many of the officers are using Facebook all day as it stands now.

[Unkomoncents]

Police will keep a closer eye on the spread of frightening rumours on social-media websites following postings that falsely claimed government agencies were warning of bombings in Bangkok.

If we've learned anything from the past, it's that the Thai government will never warn anyone of bomb blasts in Bangkok, regardless of how likely or unlikely such blasts may be.

[Bellweather]

The crux of this story is if any reports are found to be false the relevant agency will seek to block the site and I would suggest the definition of false will be very wide indeed giving the flimsiest of excuses to go after the site.

[clockman]

Mushrooms!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tatsujin]

They're going to try to block Facebook now if they find something? lmao . . . if anything will cause an uproar, THAT will . . . the Thai's will go nuts if they try that shit lol

[Thai at Heart]

A dozen people to monitor all social media on Thailand.

Good luck with that one.

[Payboy]

Does this mean the heat is off the porn and gambling sites for the time being?

[Tatsujin]

Does this mean the heat is off the porn and gambling sites for the time being?

It was never really on them . . . just for show, as always. Quick raid, money changes hands, life goes on, the rich thieves get richer.

[Sayonarax]

Governments, the real criminals.

[bigbamboo]

The public are advised all over the world to be vigilant due to the risk of terrorism.

But not in Thailand it seems.

[petedk]

This government really has no idea what it is doing. The only way to stop the spread of these rumours is to close the whole Internet.

I am sure every reader here on TV has experienced at least once some kind of email warning of a virus, comet destroying the world, alien invasion, Nostradamus prediction or something similar by email and told to "distribute to all friends immediately".

This latest warning was sent to many of my Thai colleagues and friends over the Line app. and they all warned me to stay away from shopping malls etc. I tried to tell everyone to ignore it and that the government would announce officially if there was any truth in the matter. (Not that I believe they would).

[wealth]

false flag for sinister reasons? everything is possible.

[cup-O-coffee]

If you girls think you can put a block on something that re-creates itself each second, at a rate much faster than you can ever think or reason, then congratulations; you have become gods!

[tragickingdom]

Yingluck should marry the crook from Turkey. Blame the social media for it. People are not idiots they know you have something to hide. They sell also bolts and nuts in Bangkok not only in the South. Other brand for sure. Wasn't it expected that violence would eventually spread?

[Sunderland]

Another "war room" ... well, if there's ever a war, there should be no excuses for being unprepared for it.

[Scott]

Oh, goodness, I feel sorry for the poor officer that has to monitor Thaivisa.

[BookMan]

Oh, goodness, I feel sorry for the poor officer that has to monitor Thaivisa.

You think they will manage with just one?

[bigbamboo]

Another "war room" ... well, if there's ever a war, there should be no excuses for being unprepared for it.

There are more 'war rooms' in Thailand than Geordieland.