In 2025, Thai PBS Verify received a total of two awards:
- Excellence Award – Best Fact Check and Verification
From: Verified – Viral clip of the 31st Infantry Regiment’s final 5-minute clash turns out to be old footage. - Honorable Mention – Best Fact Check and Verification
From: Verified – HPV vaccine giveaway post from a clinic page used fake documents and logos, deceptively marked with a blue check symbol.
Excellence Award – Best Fact Check and Verification
From: Verified – Viral clip of the 31st Infantry Regiment’s final 5-minute clash turns out to be old footage.
This fact-check examined a viral TikTok video claiming to show a military response by the 31st Infantry Regiment during the Thai–Cambodian border situation. The clip garnered over 3.7 million views and was widely shared by mainstream media. Thai PBS Verify revealed that the footage was fake news. It was actually an old video of a nighttime training exercise, entirely unrelated to the Thai–Cambodian conflict.
This work piece highlights the critical role of fact-checking in filtering rapidly circulating content during times of crisis. It also underscores the importance of proactive journalism in halting the spread of misinformation that could distort public understanding and potentially affect national security.
“This case is a reminder that even after verification, if the media publishes something inaccurate—no matter how minor the impact—it still contributes to the spread of false information. That is not a responsibility the media should take on,” said Nattapon Thumma, Senior Digital Content Officer.
In addition, Thai PBS received four more Digital News Excellence Awards, including:
- Excellence Award – Best Investigative Online News or Documentary
For the investigative series: “The Headwater of Kok and Sai Rivers: Transboundary Pollution.”
📱Watch the News Series on Thai PBS:
‣ ด่วน ! สคพ.1 ตรวจพบ “สารหนู” แม่น้ำกก อ.แม่อาย จ.เชียงใหม่
‣ สำนักงานสิ่งแวดล้อมฯ เปิดผลตรวจ “แม่น้ำกก” พบปนเปื้อนสารหนูกว่าเท่าตัว
‣ เจาะเหมืองแร่ “ต้นแม่น้ำกก-น้ำสาย” มลพิษข้ามพรมแดน
‣ เปิดต้นทางมลพิษ! ขั้นตอนการทำเหมืองทุนจีน ทิ้งสารปนเปื้อนแม่กก-แม่สาย-น้ำโขง
‣ เปิดงานวิจัย-ผลตรวจนิติวิทยาศาสตร์ พบปนเปื้อนสารหนู-โลหะหนักในแม่น้ำกก มาจากแร่หายาก
‣ เปิดหลักฐานสำคัญผลวิจัย “นิติวิทยาศาสตร์ฯ” จับต้นทางมลพิษจากเหมืองแร่ในแม่น้ำกก
- Excellence Award – Best Online News Based on Social Media Issues
For the report: “Traces of the Rural Doctors’ Mission to Bangkok: Reflecting Problems in Thailand’s Bureaucratic System.”
- Excellence Award – Best Consumer News
For the report: “23 Provinces Without Public Buses: How Much Longer Must They Wait?”
- Honorable Mention – Best Social Impact Online News
For the report: “English Proficiency: The More We Promote, the More It Declines?”
(Produced by the Digital Media Division)
Winning six awards this year is a source of pride for Thai PBS and reaffirms the role of public media in delivering verified, accurate, and comprehensive news with the commitment to creating the greatest possible benefit for Thai society.
