Meanwhile, gender and sexuality academics pointed out that news of this nature reflects the use of sex scandals as a tool to undermine political legitimacy and damage a culture of rational politics. This also contradicts the efforts to promote gender equality in society.
Thai PBS Verify found the source originated from: Facebook
Thai PBS Verify found a Facebook user account that posted a claim that “Hun Sen” invited “Ice” Rakchanok Srinok, a Member of Parliament for Bangkok from the People’s Party, to reside in Cambodia and offered her the position of No. 1 Wife. That content was published in a group named “Kanchompalang News” on October 21, 2025, stating that Hun Sen announced he is happy to let Ice Rakchanok come to live in Cambodia, and grants her the position of No. 1 Wife.
The post received more than 800 comments, with opinions ranging from belief to disbelief, along with over 2,900 likes.
This post was published amid news that MP Rakchanok had raised questions about the transparency in the establishment of a foundation by Mr. Kantas Phongphaiboonvej, or Kan Chompalang, and whether the case was connected to Capt. Thamanat Prompow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Ice Rakchanok confirms the information is false.
Ice Rakchanok Srinok, MP for Bangkok, People’s Party, confirmed that the information referencing her and Hun Sen is fake news and emphasized that, even if the information is created for political satire, the creator should be socially responsible, particularly regarding media literacy among older people, who might misunderstand the content.
“Honestly, some people who know it’s fake news still share it for laughs. For us, it’s not funny. We feel it’s a problem that when many people share it for laughs or don’t report it because they find it funny, this kind of information spreads, leading people, especially those lacking media literacy, particularly older people, to believe it genuinely. Therefore, it is an issue that society must help tackle by not spreading information that is Fake News.” The MP added that even when forwarding information as an image, some people might be misled. If fake news is created with AI, it could become an even greater concern. If media literacy is not promoted, media consumers among the elderly group might fall victim to hoaxes or online crimes in the future.
Fake News, Femininity, and the ‘Below the Belt’ Issue Reflect Backward Politics
Regarding the claim that Hun Sen announced he is happy to let Ice Rakchanok come to stay in Cambodia and grants her the position of No. 1 Wife, Assistant Professor Dr. Chanettee Tinnam, a gender and sexuality academic and a lecturer at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University, views this phenomenon of fake news as an attack aimed at undermining the political legitimacy of an opponent. Specifically, using the issue of “sex/gender” is a backward and unproductive method. Especially for a “woman” in the political arena, a space dominated by a disproportionately large number of men, being pushed into the role of merely a mother or someone’s wife is like an easy way to make her out of the political space through rhetoric or fake news, thereby silencing women’s struggles and opinions.
Dr. Chanettee Tinnam, a gender and sexuality academic and a lecturer at the Faculty of Communication Arts,
Looking back since the change in government in 1932, women have been able to enter politics, gaining the right to vote and to stand for election. However, being attacked with “sex scandals” is something that has emerged alongside women beginning to gain power, leadership roles, and participation in determining the direction of society. Only the face of the fake news has changed, from print media to the age of AI technology, but the purpose remains the same. The method remains as if it has been frozen for almost a hundred years since the change in government.
Source: Photo accompanying the article on Thailand’s first election of members of the House of Representatives, by the Parliament Museum.
“We have seen women in the political sphere being linked to sex scandals ever since the change in government in 1932, when women began to play a role in politics. These attacks use sexual slurs to divert the issue, discredit women, and delegitimize them concerning the issues they are fighting for.”
“Similar to the case of Ms. Ice Rakchanok, the public is not paying attention to the issues that Ms. Ice is fighting for or communicating, causing society not to seek answers on the matters she is addressing. Furthermore, she is being attacked by opponents who raise sexual issues. Therefore, society loses the opportunity to learn or acknowledge the facts regarding the questions being raised and the transparency being investigated.”
“A Good Woman Must Be Free of Sexual Scandal”: The Mythological Chains that Restrain Women’s Roles
Beyond using tools to undermine female legitimacy through “sexual degradation,” Dr. Chanettee stated that from a feminist perspective, discrediting women in this manner not only harms the individual victim but also affects every woman. When such incidents occur repeatedly, it can inherently cause all women to feel disempowered from stepping up to work in the public sphere, because challenging those who hold supported power often results in the issue being twisted toward sexual scandal, stemming from the value system that “a good woman must be untainted and free of scandal.”
“As we know, society is still caught in the mythological trap of blaming women for sexual matters. This is a backward value system long embedded in thought, structure, and political culture: that a good woman must have no sexual scandals. Therefore, political opponents often use this as an easy argument to destroy women’s opportunities, which is equivalent to destroying society’s opportunities. We have many capable women who can rise to become leaders and change society. But when a sexual scandal is used as a tool for attack, it further highlights the injustice in the gender justice system, causes society to regress, and creates fear in young girls who might be the future of politics. Hundreds and thousands more will be conditioned not to dare to step forward.
“Young women who plan to grow in the political space and step up as leaders will be pushed into becoming victims of sexual damage, scrutinized over their private lives and bodies. Therefore, we want society to regain consciousness and responsibility. If confronted with news of this nature, you must stop, think, and not share it, as it has no connection to the political struggle at all.”
“How much inner strength must a woman possess to overcome the dirty politics of this nature? Therefore, we must collectively support women in society and ensure everyone recognizes that when women are harmed in sexual matters, everyone in society is affected. If we do not protect capable women so they can stand as political leaders, successive generations of politics might be dominated by one gender, leaving a political landscape lacking gender diversity and balance. Diversity is what brings the needs of people across the entire society into account. But if politics is led by people of only a certain gender, diversity in certain areas or issues will disappear. Thus, we should not allow women to be defamed by untrue things.”
Inciting Hatred via “Nationalism” and the Quagmire of “Patriarchy”
In another aspect, the attack on a political opponent using fake news that referenced Hun Sen, the perceived representative of Cambodia’s leadership, Dr. Chanettee views the creation of this type of fake news as a way to push women out of the political sphere through the incitement of nationalism. This is an easy way to reduce the opponent’s legitimacy and incite hatred, because people in society can be led to view someone as an ‘outsider’ or a ‘threat’. Those with extremist nationalist views can easily use this issue as a tool to fuel hatred. “We should restore the humanity of all women politicians to lead society toward a politics based on reason and facts, rather than fueling untrue rumors. Thai society must break free from the cycle of using sexual rumors to attack one another, because gender equality is a part of democracy,” stated Dr. Chanettee Tinnam.
Rakchanok Srinok, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bangkok, People’s Party.
Rakchanok Srinok, MP for Bangkok, People’s Party, and the victim of the said fake news, elaborated that besides the issue of patriarchy, society may not fully accept women as MPs without question, because being a woman always invites scrutiny on every matter. “When I interact closely with male politicians in the same party, I am often questioned: ‘Why do you have dinner with this person so often?’ or ‘Why do you frequently discuss work in that person’s room?’ Even though I talk to everyone equally. But if two men eat together or do activities together, no one sees it as wrong. However, when it’s a woman, she must be careful not to be misinterpreted and must always maintain a distance. “These things would not be a problem at all if I were a man. Furthermore, there is also the issue of harassment in Parliament through careless remarks, such as comments about skirts or faces. Some people say, ‘I can’t take my eyes off Ice,’ or ‘Everyone is looking at Ice’s skirt.’ These things feel absolutely disgusting to me, yet they are spoken of as if they are normal. When I warn them, they accuse me of overthinking or saying, ‘I was just kidding,’ even though I feel serious and it is not funny at all.”
Sometimes people also bring up my old photos, including swimwear and modeling photos, saying, “As an MP, you shouldn’t have pictures like this,” or “It is inappropriate for the image of a female politician.” Instead of focusing on the substance of the work, people pay attention to trivial matters like short skirts, makeup, wearing tight clothing, or not wearing closed-toe shoes. These are clearly issues that women face more often than men do. These incidents show that when women are criticized in society, the problem can easily be twisted, for example, by saying, “How can a woman who dresses like this lecture others?” Or when I am scrutinizing someone, I am often rebutted with comments along the lines of, “What right do you have to investigate others when you yourself have had inappropriate photos?” Sometimes it escalates to being linked to other issues, such as “You are someone with a 112 case” or “You are against the institution,” to divert attention from the actual scrutiny.
What is the Truth?
The content claiming that “Hun Sen, the former Prime Minister of Cambodia, announced he invited Ice Rakchanok Srinok, MP for Bangkok, People’s Party, to live in Cambodia and appointed her as No. 1 Wife ” is Fake News.
The verification team found no information from official Cambodian media, the official website of the Cambodian government, or international agencies that confirms “Hun Sen” ever made such a statement or gesture as claimed in the post. As for the image and text in the post, they were published in a Facebook group named “Kanchompalang News” on October 21, 2025, which is a group that has previously published political satire content multiple times. Furthermore, Ice Rakchanok Srinok personally confirmed that it is false news, stating that although the content was created in a “satirical” manner, it harms her image and could cause misunderstandings among older people or those lacking media literacy.
