By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE ELECTION COMMISSION was today (May 8) told to quickly investigate and suppress an online smearing campaign against the Pheu Thai contesting the May 14 general election.
Somsak Thepsuthin, a leading figure among the Pheu Thai rank and file running for MP in party-listed mode, called on the polling agency to promptly take action against unknown cyber warriors who are using avatars and varied social networks to run the concerted mudslinging campaign against the Pheu Thai during the final week running up to the May 14 election.
Those smearing campaign avatars have allegedly tampered with the content of Pheu Thai video clips circulated online to harm the reputations of partisan candidates and confuse viewers, Somsak said.
According to the former justice minister, those cyber warriors may have been hired by or connected with certain electoral rivals competing against the Pheu Thai which has heralded a landslide victory in both constituency-based and party-listed modes and consequently becoming core of a post-election government.
Somsak advised the polling agency to promptly take action against those online campaign smearers in accordance with the Computer Crime Act, among other laws.
The Pheu Thai have joined ranks with other contesting camps to openly declare antagonism against caretaker prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who is running to retain power under the Ruam Thai Sang Chart tickets.
Low-ranking army servicemen have been suspected to be clandestinely carrying out the so-called Information Operations, practically tantamount to mudslinging missions against Prayut’s rivals contesting the May 14 election.
The Pheu Thai has been constantly alleged of remaining more or less under the influence of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, widely viewed as the de facto party boss who has been living in self-exile overseas following the 2006 coup.
Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra is running among a trio of Pheu Thai contenders for prime minister including Settha Taweesin, known as personally close to his sister/former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was deposed by a Prayut-led junta in the 2014 coup, and former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, left, and Settha Taweesin, right.
Insert: Former justice minister Somsak Thepsuthin.
Front Page: Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. All photos: Matichon
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