"Fake News Alert" network established in Thailand

BANGKOK, June 11 (TNA) - A network against fake news reports has been established in Thailand, led by the government-backed Thai Media Fund (TMF). The TMF, headed by Wasan Paileeklee, a former president of MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT), signed a declaration with seven other organizations in Bangkok on Tuesday on the establishment of the Fake News Alert (FNA) network. The other seven organizations include the National Press Council of Thailand, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Thai Public Broadcasting Service, Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Communication Arts, Thammasat University's Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Online News Providers Association and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Wasan then told journalists that the newly-established FNA network now becomes a joint mechanism of the eight organizations to counter fake news reports and to create public awareness on verifying sources of news and news reports prior to the dissemination of the reports widely in the society. Besides, the FNA network will provide useful knowledge and information to the public to prevent them from falling victims of or being affected from fake news reports. Wasan said that the FNA network will also welcome public participation in developing a safe and creative media circle in Thailand. Wasan acknowledged that the establishment of the FNA network is in response to increasing fake news reports in the digital society currently, where pieces of news can spread quickly through online platforms with, in several times, no verifications for their reliable sources and content, causing negative impacts or damages nationally or even internationally. Meanwhile, the newly-established FNA network will organize a public forum, the International Conferece on Fake News, at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel in Bangkok on June 17, 2019, in which members of international media networks and organizations, as well as media academics are welcome to take part to discuss on and exchange ideas against fake news reports. (TNA)