Bangkok bomb blast: After initial confusion, social media users rise up

[webfact]

BOMB BLAST
After initial confusion, social media users rise up
KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI
SPECIAL TO THE NATION


From top left, campaign pictures posted on social media by Jeab Bikkhun, Pim Senneam, Pariya Bhongsvej, Ngor Gonggate on Facebook, as well as the Google Thailand homepage and @Raydo_TRnews on Twitter.

BANGKOK: -- SOCIAL media usually plays a vital role in times of crisis, and the latest example was the bomb blast in Bangkok's busy Ratchaprasong junction on Monday night.

However, sharing information on social media can be good and bad. Some use it to share updates and others to spread rumours. Social media outlets were also used by some to provide moral support and express condolences, while others used them to condemn those responsible for the tragedy, to analyse the incident and point fingers at one another.

Many social-media users also shared clips from CCTV and their mobile phones, and mainstream media outlets even posted some of these clips.

Many people also shared images of the suspected bomber seen at the Erawan Shrine and a video clip of another small bomb at Sathorn Pier yesterday afternoon.

However, those sharing graphic images of the victims were criticised, which gave rise to a campaign for the hashtag #sharecarefully.

Thai Journalists Association president Wanchai Wongmeechai also issued a statement calling on the media to not broadcast graphic images and to verify all information properly before reporting.

@Pokrath: "Don't share images of the body, organs or the injured, please. Imagine if [the victims] were your relatives, you wouldn't want others to see them in a bad condition."

Social-media users were also warned to consider their own safety.

@l2ip: "Social-media users, don't take risks by going to the scene. If there's an explosion, you will not be able to share the pictures for any 'likes'."

As is normal in a crisis, confusion spreads quickly, especially in initial aftermath. Rumours were rife on LINE and a lot of the information shared was conflicting. Initially, mainstream media also reported that an LPG tank had exploded.

Then there was the rumour that schools, banks and government offices in Bangkok would be closed today - a piece of information that the authorities later said was false.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also called on the media and social-media users to stop sharing unconfirmed information or risk exacerbating confusion.

On a positive side though, social media outlets were very effective in recruiting help and resources such as Chinese translators at hospitals and blood donations.

People also began sharing Deutsche Presse-Agentur's report complimenting Thais for their action - people immediately helping victims, motorcycle taxis giving free rides to pedestrians so they could be moved out of the area, hotel staff ensuring guests returned safely and thousands showing up to give blood.

The first hashtags used were #PrayForThailand and #PrayForBangkok.

According to the Computerlogy social-media monitoring tool, the #PrayForThailand hashtag had been mentioned 57,350 times on Facebook, 152,323 times on Twitter and 91,621 times on Instagram as of 3pm yesterday.

Later came the #nodisturbingphoto, #condolencestovictims and #strongertogether hashtags.

Ananya Moonpen shared Petch Samudavanija's post: "We should follow the UK formula when they faced the bombing in 2005. Although people felt shocked, they fought back by living their lives normally. At the same time, government agencies investigated quickly, effectively and decisively."

Many posted or changed their profile pictures to Thai national flag.

Ngor Gonggate wrote on Facebook: "Where you go today, what you do today, please share on the timeline. #SupportLiving|Normally."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/After-initial-confusion-social-media-users-rise-up-30266933.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-19

[ourmanflint]

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also called on the media and social-media users to stop sharing unconfirmed information or risk exacerbating confusion."

I think he means ""stop repeating whatever my officers say sharing unconfirmed information or risk exacerbating confusion."

Edited August 18, 2015 by ourmanflint

[NongKhaiKid]

Social media is how the majority of young Thais supposedly get their so called ' news ' and how many will question what they read ?

Mind you official spokespeople are hardly the most reliable either.

[jspill]

I was surprised and happy to see a lot of criticism about sharing pics of dead bodies this time round.

Usually Thais are sharing pics of the dead everywhere... seen smiling EMTs posing by road fatalities too, on Facebook.

The Koh Tao killings too, I'd see westerners commenting on pics that they were offensive, and Thais would shout them down, saying 'in Thai culture it's fine to share pics of bodies' and words to that effect.

[thhMan]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

[Overcome]

Social media is how the majority of young Thais supposedly get their so called ' news ' and how many will question what they read ?

Mind you official spokespeople are hardly the most reliable either.

For those fortunate enough to read English of course they could obtain reliable and authoritative information by reading this forum.

[anto]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

Typical Thaivisa poster.

[anto]

Social media is how the majority of young Thais supposedly get their so called ' news ' and how many will question what they read ?

Mind you official spokespeople are hardly the most reliable either.

For those fortunate enough to read English of course they could obtain reliable and authoritative information by reading this forum.

Have found The Guardian UK, have some good info on the bombing.

[sugarcane24]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

Do you by any chance imply that us Westerners do have a culture? When Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western culture, he famously replied "It would be a good idea!"

[raybal5]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

I disagree strongly. Sure there are thugs in Thailand but they do have a culture. Clearly it's time for you to take a holiday back to your home country for a while.

[MaxLee]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

Yes, Thailand has a culture, from many years ago,... but then came the Thai Chinese immigrants and brought in the culture of corruption, social FACE and Status, top to bottom down approach or risk getting punished for questioning your senior authority.......

However, thanks to social media it is impossible to save face, as the younger generation is becoming more open minded with the outer world.....

[Linky]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

Typical Thaivisa poster.

Which makes you???

[jadee]

I don't know if 'rise up' is the correct term - my wife is Thai and read on Facebook that all of the deceased were Chinese. I asked her to show me and the 'news' turned out to be some conspiracy theorist nut job whose profile picture is Walter White from the TV show Breaking Bad. Thousands of Thais probably read the same nonsense and believed it.

[MrJohnson]

Didn't take long for this thread to degenerate into a slanging match.

[TacoHell]

Im not a social media user, only a viewer. Even if 1,000,000 people get it wrong, it only takes one person to get it right to maybe catch the culprits. It's a powerful tool for law enforcement as well.

[arrowsdawdle]

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also called on the media and social-media users to stop sharing unconfirmed information or risk exacerbating confusion."

I think he means ""stop repeating whatever my officers say sharing unconfirmed information or risk exacerbating confusion."

Only the junta and the RTP in Koh Tao are authorized to spread unconfirmed speculation.

[arrowsdawdle]

Im not a social media user, only a viewer. Even if 1,000,000 people get it wrong, it only takes one person to get it right to maybe catch the culprits. It's a powerful tool for law enforcement as well.

Even if one gets it right, it means nothing if it doesn't fit the junta narrative.

[carter1882]

I have always thought that not showing graphic images of death desensitises such events. In the absurdly PC West news organisations now even warn viewers they are about to see a sheet over a dead body or even debris in the aftermath of a bombing. Bombs blow people apart. Show it and share the outrage. When I was about eleven my parents let me watch the World at War episode that featured the allies bulldozing concentration camp victims into graves in the aftermath of the liberation. I could hardly sleep that night but I remember it so clearly and the outrage has never diminished in my mind well over forty years later.

[Guest]

Thailand doesnt have a cluture.. unless thuggery is a culture

Typical Thaivisa poster.

yes absolutely I agree

[Jonmarleesco]

'Ananya Moonpen shared Petch Samudavanija's post: "We should follow the UK formula when they faced the bombing in 2005 ... government agencies investigated quickly, effectively and decisively."' Not exactly. Among other things, the police managed to shoot and kill an innocent Brazilian electrician. Hardly effective, and closer to panic than decisiveness.

[Jonmarleesco]

I have always thought that not showing graphic images of death desensitises such events. In the absurdly PC West news organisations now even warn viewers they are about to see a sheet over a dead body or even debris in the aftermath of a bombing. Bombs blow people apart. Show it and share the outrage. When I was about eleven my parents let me watch the World at War episode that featured the allies bulldozing concentration camp victims into graves in the aftermath of the liberation. I could hardly sleep that night but I remember it so clearly and the outrage has never diminished in my mind well over forty years later.

On the other hand, your parents weren't necessarily right; and Thai media always shows the results of accidents, murders, etc. in unnecessarily graphic detail.

[facthailand]

If the rest of the world is any sad indication, an initial blast may be followed by a second, sometimes more powerful, targeting the first responders and mourners.

Give it LOTS of time, hours, before going back to any such incident.