Bangkok: The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) is collaborating with Meta-Facebook to provide training on using the online platform.
According to Thai News Agency, the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) on January 19th, in collaboration with Meta and Facebook Thailand, conducted training on the use of online platforms for political parties and parliamentary candidates. The EC Secretary-General emphasized the importance of using technology for communication correctly and legally, without violating election regulations. The EC also revealed that its E-War Room received 34 complaints regarding 5 video clips and assured that perpetrators can be traced if the offenses were committed in Thailand.
Mr. Saweang Boonmee, Secretary-General of the Election Commission, along with the Election Commission Office, in collaboration with Meta and Facebook Thailand, organized a training session on using the Meta platform for the general election of members of the House of Representatives. The training was conducted online (Zoom Meeting) in Room 604 of the Election Commission Office, Government Complex, Chaeng Wattana Road. Executives from Meta and Facebook provided the training, covering topics such as platform usage during the election period and an introduction to advertising standards, guidelines, and permits related to social issues and elections.
Mr. Saweang Boonmee welcomed and thanked Meta and Facebook Thailand, as well as the political parties participating in the training. He emphasized the importance of using online media constructively and in accordance with election laws. This training provided political parties and parliamentary candidates with the knowledge, understanding, and correct practices for communicating through social media, specifically the Meta platform, to the public. This ensures compliance with the laws, regulations, and standards of the platform, thereby reducing the risk of actions that may violate election laws.
Mr. Saeng further stated that the Election Commission currently has two main tasks: the general election for Members of Parliament and the preparation of the referendum, which will be held on February 8th. He noted that technology and innovation are key mechanisms for driving development across all sectors, clearly reflecting the necessity of applying modern technology to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and reliability of both the general election and the referendum process.
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) is therefore committed to utilizing technology to ensure that its communication and public relations work is accurate, timely, and reaches target groups comprehensively, continuously. Most importantly, it aims to increase convenience for eligible voters in receiving accurate, complete, and timely information. Another crucial factor is that political parties and their parliamentary candidates must understand their policies, political advertising standards, the security and stability of user accounts, and the correct practices for using political communication platforms in accordance with relevant laws.
Therefore, the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) believes that providing knowledge on the use of the platform will be another important step in upgrading Thailand's elections and referendums to be modern, accurate, and trustworthy in the digital age. The ECT also sincerely hopes that the results of today's training will be the beginning of powerful cooperation for the greatest benefit of the nation and its people.
Mr. Saeng further stated that campaigning today has many channels, and electronic channels are becoming increasingly popular, especially Facebook, which is used to introduce oneself through this platform for both constituency and party-list MPs. This is to ensure order and the use of correct language, in accordance with Meta and Facebook's regulations.
Regarding the Electronic Campaign Management Center (E-War Room) and its handling of defamatory campaign messages on social media, Mr. Saeng stated that private sector entities like Facebook have recently begun filtering defamatory campaign messages. Even without an election, Facebook will provide legal support and information for monitoring such messages during election periods. This coordination has been ongoing to ensure swift problem resolution, maintain a positive election environment, and protect candidates. Recently, the E-War Room received 34 complaint messages and 5 video clips. Election Commission officials are analyzing these to determine which messages violate the law, categorized into two groups: those violating existing laws and those violating election regulations, such as the use of aggressive, violent, or vulgar language.
Regarding methods for verifying false information entered into the system, Mr. Saeng stated that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the police will consider whether to delete the messages. He explained that sometimes the content originates abroad, and while it might violate Thai law, it might not violate foreign law. These points will be discussed. However, if the content is found to be registered in Thailand, regardless of its location, it can be tracked down and prosecuted.