The video attracted 3.7 million views, 24,000 shares and was even reported by some mainstream media outlets.
Screenshot showing the fake clip that was detected
Thai PBS Verify, which reviews and screens news for veracity to reduce the spread of fake news, has checked the viral video in question. Using the keyword “shooting at night”, to find out whether the video had been posted before, it found that TikTok user ‘cetoz282’ posted a similar video, along with a caption which can be translated as: “You can hide but you can’t run!! 🤫🤫 LF22 military training at night AN/PVS-14 and Wilcox Raid X #Thaislovepeacebutarenotafraidtofight #thaisoldiers #cambodia #thailand #RTA #specialforces.”
After verifying with InVID-WeVerify, Thai PBS Verify was able to detect similar key frames in both videos.
The clip from the TikTok user account “cetoz282” (top) compared with the image from the misleading clip (bottom), using the InVID-WeVerify tool to extract keyframes.
The video was initially posted on June 6th. The user later clarified in the comments section that “This video clip is to confirm that it was a military training of the infantry. The LF22 Lightning Forge was used for military training at night, not from recent events. The video was posted a long time ago, on June 6th.” This confirms that the incident depicted occurred before the Thai-Cambodian clashes erupted.
The screenshot shows the date the clip was posted, revealing that it was uploaded on June 6, 2025.
The video was, however, reported by mainstream media on July 29th, including by TOP News Online, Toop-Toh-Kao Amarin TV and Workpoint News 23.
A screenshot showing the video clip was published in mainstream media.
The video in question, which includes the text “LF22”, matches a report from the Royal Thai Army’s Operations Directorate, published on November 3rd, 2021.
The report detailed Thailand’s participation in a joint military exercise with the U.S. Army, under the codename “Lightning Forge 22”, for the third consecutive year. The exercise was aimed at enhancing combined arms operational capabilities.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bandhoon Phankaeo, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, commented that the media’s competition for speed and engagement have led to insufficient fact-checking.
Dr. Bandhoon Phankaeo, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication
He explained that many news outlets tend to rely on content shared by others without verification, assuming that, if one outlet publishes it, others can follow suit without verifying the content. This practice has contributed significantly to the spread of fake news, particularly news stories related to conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the fighting in Myanmar. These include not only reused video clips, but also AI-generated images and even scenes from video games, often circulated as if they were real footage.
Moreover, he feels that the media is placing too much importance on the need to attract viewers’ attention and incite emotion, which have forced the media to speed up publication, which leads to carelessness and even complacence and a belief that any viral content represents real events.
“If such media practices continue, the inevitable consequence will be a decline in public sentiment between the two countries involved, driven by unchecked nationalism and emotional manipulation. This will not only affect people living along the border, but will also have broader implications for economic and diplomatic relations,” Dr. Bandhoon opined.
