The Thai government has challenged opposition MP Rukchanok Srinork to provide evidence for her suspicion that social media accounts supporting the TH-AI Passport project may be part of an information operation (IO) linked to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES).
Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana responded today, August 20, saying scrutiny of the government was legitimate but arguing that suspicions should not be presented as facts without evidence.
Rukchanok, an MP from the People’s Party, had raised questions about social media accounts posting supportive comments about TH-AI Passport, also known as AiPASS. She questioned whether the accounts could be linked to an organised information operation involving the ministry.
Lalida acknowledged that newly created accounts, profiles with no posts and multiple accounts leaving similar comments could warrant further examination. However, she said those characteristics alone were insufficient to establish that the accounts were part of an IO or connected to a government agency.
She said evidence would be needed to establish who controlled the accounts, who instructed or paid them, where any funding or resources came from and whether there was a direct link to a state agency.
“If there is evidence that the ministry ordered this or was actually behind it, then release that evidence for the public to examine, whether it is an order, a contract, expenditure records, a trail of coordination or evidence that directly links to whoever gave the instructions.
“The government is open to examination, but if there is no such evidence, then what we have is a ‘suspicion’, not a ‘fact’. We should not jump from raising questions to accusing the ministry of carrying out an IO.”
Lalida said positive comments about government services were also not enough to prove IO activity. She cited users who said registering through the Thang Rath app was convenient or faster, arguing that such comments did not prove they had been instructed by the government to post them.
She stressed that providing information about government services and organising an IO network were two different things.
The deputy spokesperson also questioned the standard being applied to allegations against the government, arguing that the same burden of evidence demanded from state agencies should apply when the opposition makes accusations.
“What should be questioned is the standard being applied. If, in other matters, the opposition demands that the government present evidence before accusing anyone, the same principle should apply when the opposition is making an accusation.
“Drawing conclusions that go beyond the available evidence is not rigorous examination. It is becoming a double standard, where the state is required to prove every allegation, but when the state is accused, mere observations or screenshots are used to draw conclusions.”
Lalida said the government was open to a review of the TH-AI Passport project, including its implementation, spending and results for the public.
She said any suspected irregularities could be submitted with supporting evidence, adding that an evidence-based review could help improve the project’s transparency and effectiveness.
“If they believe there really is an IO, they should investigate further to identify who gave the orders, who commissioned it and where the resources came from, then present the evidence to the public.”
Lalida reiterated that the government was not asking critics to stop questioning the project, but stressed that if a question was elevated into an accusation, “the evidence must be elevated with it.”
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