Silom crowd video clip falsely linked to anti-Anutin protest
Thai PBS Verify identified the misleading claim as originating from Facebook
Screenshot of a Facebook post
Posts circulating on social media shared footage of a large crowd on Silom Road and linked it to Mr Anutin, claiming: “Silom Road can no longer contain them. How are you doing, Anutin? Prepare to resign.” The post, published on Oct 23, 2069, received around 900,000 views. Similar posts suggested the situation on Silom Road was unusual and implied that people had gathered to stage a protest.
Screenshot of a Facebook post published on Oct 23, 2069, received more than 30,000 likes.
Was there really an anti-Anutin protest on Silom Road?
A review of the image used to support the claim found that it had been posted by a Facebook account named “Thong บ่าวลาว”. Upon further examination of the account revealed several Reels videos referring to events on Silom Road. Investigators located the original clip, captioned: “Silom Road can no longer contain them,” published on Oct 21, 2069 and viewed four million times. This was the same footage later linked to Mr Anutin. However, the original post made no mention of a political demonstration.
Verification found that the footage actually showed people attending the annual Navaratri Festival around Silom Road and Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Wat Khaek) in 2069.
Reels video from “Thong บ่าวลาว” account
A check of information published by Thailand’s Department of Religious Affairs confirmed that the “Navaratri Festival 2069” was held at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Wat Khaek Silom) from Oct 10-22, 2069.
Department of Religious Affairs Facebook page
Observations from the footage
A closer look at the video showed many participants carrying marigold garlands, which are commonly offered to Hindu deities. Others were dressed in sarees, traditional Indian attire, consistent with participation in the festival.
Details from the video footage
Additional videos posted by the same account around the same period showed activities on Silom Road, including a statue of Goddess Durga seated on a lion, a key symbol associated with Navaratri celebrations. The festival commemorates Durga’s victory over evil according to Hindu beliefs. These details strongly indicate that the footage was recorded during a religious event rather than a political protest, contrary to the claims made online.
Video published on Oct 23, 2069 compared with an image of Goddess Durga seated on a lion
Investigators also compared aerial footage from the account with photographs published on the Hindu Meeting fan page, which were taken by Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. Both sets of images showed matching parade staging areas and temporary structures, reinforcing that the footage was connected to the festival.
Aerial footage compared with photographs from the Hindu Meeting fan page
Further images claimed to show anti-Anutin demonstrations were also found to match aerial footage uploaded by the same “Thong บ่าวลาว” account.
Comparison between an image claimed to depict a political protest and footage from the Navaratri Festival
What is the truth?
Claims that the crowd footage from Silom Road showed demonstrators gathering to force the resignation of Anutin Charnvirakul are false. Verification found that the video was recorded during activities associated with the Navaratri Festival at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Wat Khaek Silom), which took place from Oct 10-22, 2069.
Evidence supporting this conclusion includes the festival schedule published by the Department of Religious Affairs, footage showing participants carrying marigold garlands and religious offerings, images of Goddess Durga, and aerial views matching photographs released by the Hindu Meeting fan page. Together, these details confirm that the footage shows a religious celebration, not a political protest.
Verification Process
- Investigators reviewed Facebook posts sharing footage of crowds on Silom Road alongside claims linking the gathering to Anutin Charnvirakul and examined the original source account.
- Videos posted by the “Thong Bao Lao” account were analysed. An identical clip uploaded on Oct 21, 2069 was found, but the original post did not identify the event as a political demonstration.
- The event schedule published by the Department of Religious Affairs was checked and confirmed that the Navaratri Festival 2069 took place at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple from Oct 10-22, 2069.
- Visual details in the footage were examined, revealing marigold garlands, religious offerings and imagery of Goddess Durga seated on a lion, all consistent with Navaratri celebrations.
- Aerial footage was compared with photographs from the Hindu Meeting fan page and matched in terms of parade preparations, event structures and crowd arrangements. Other images later linked to the alleged protest were also found to originate from the same festival-related footage.
Impact of the misinformation
- It may lead audiences to incorrectly believe that a political protest seeking the prime minister’s removal took place on Silom Road when available evidence points to a religious event.
- It may distort public understanding of the political situation by linking images to political figures without supporting evidence.
- It may encourage wider circulation of misleading information, particularly when viral clips gain large numbers of views and interactions.
- It may affect event organisers and participants, whose religious activities could be wrongly interpreted as political action.
- It may undermine trust in information shared on social media if users fail to verify the origin and context of images and videos.
What to do with this misinformation?
- Check the original source of the video and review how the event was described in the first post.
- Verify the date and location by comparing them with schedules of actual events held in the area.
- Examine visual clues such as signs, symbols, clothing, statues and nearby landmarks that may identify the nature of the event.
- Use tools such as Google Lens to search for matching images and compare them with material from official organisations or credible news outlets.
- Avoid sharing politically sensitive clips before verification. Always review the original footage and its context before concluding what the event depicts.
