Four people arrested after posting fake news about coronavirus

Thai police have co-ordinated raids in four province and arrested four separate people over allegations of spreading fake news about the coronavirus outbreak.

Officials from the Thai Ministry of Digital for Economy and Society, Technology Crime Suppression Division along with local authorities, raided houses in Bo Win district of Chon Buri, Ban Po district of Chachoengsao province and Muang districts of Chiang Mai and Nan provinces. They had arrest warrants when they arrived at the premises. The residences had been tracked down as the source of the ‘fake news’. The suspects were held in police custody before being taken to the Technology Crime Suppression Division for further questioning today.

One of the items of false news, allegedly posted on social media by someone living in Chon Buri, reads “H3N2 spreads to Chiang Mai. New Coronavirus from Wuhan”. The news caused panic among residents in Chiang Mai and had no basis in truth.

The Ministry of Digital for Economy and Society, Technology is urging embers of the public to pass on any fear-mongering or blatantly false news about the coronavirus (cover-19) outbreak, and are warning that if they post or share fake news on social media they will face legal action.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World