Video of protest against EC identified as old footage from symbolic “Senate’s cremation”

Thai PBS Verify found this piece of disinformation from: TikTok

A TikTok account “ppannnpunpunchanodomm” shared a video showing a protest at the Democracy Monument.

Thai PBS Verify found that the TikTok account “ppannnpunpunchanodomm” shared a clip of the protest at the Democracy Monument, with hashtags:

“#PeoplesParty #WhyDoWeHaveTheEC #SomethingIsWrongWithThisEC

“Democracy.”

This post has gained 35,400 reactions, 181 comments, 842 bookmarks, and has been shared over 1,553 times. Most of the comments are criticisms directed at the election held on February 8, 2026.

Did the clip show an old event or a new occurrence?

Thai PBS Verify authenticated the video by using the Google Lens image verification tool and found that the footage matched a protest at the Democracy Monument held on July 19, 2023. 

Organized by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration under the theme “July 19: Senators’ cremation day,” the event featured symbolic activities, speeches, and expressions of dissatisfaction following the parliamentary resolution to block the re-nomination of Pita Limjaroenrat for Prime Minister. Key figures and politicians, including Parit Wacharasindhu, Arnon Nampa, and Amarat Chokepamitkul, were present as observers or speakers. The core message reflected demands for respect for the people’s voice, criticism of the Senate’s role, and the political process. The protesters announced three specific demands directed at the Senate and pro-democracy parties before concluding the event by laying funeral flowers, performing a symbolic cremation with an empty coffin, and dispersing at approximately 10:30 PM.

The image on the left is from the video in question, while the image on the right is from MCOT’s news program ‘Jor Leuk Tua Thai (Inside Thailand).’

How was the latest protest against the EC?

On February 15, 2026, the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, along with civil society networks, organized an activity titled “A Recount May Not Be Enough, the EC Must Pay” at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). The event aimed to demand responsibility from the EC regarding the February 8, 2026, election, which the group viewed as lacking transparency. A highlight of the event was a mock referendum to impeach the EC, featuring simulated polling booths and ballot boxes, where participants were invited to cast their votes for approximately two hours before the boxes were closed and the votes counted.

What is the truth?

Thai PBS Verify found that the video contains misinformation. It contained footage from a protest held on July 19, 2023, and redistributed it during the period of political discussion surrounding the 2026 election. At the same time, on February 15, 2026, news reports stated that the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, along with civil society networks, organized the activity “A Recount May Not Be Enough, the EC Must Pay” at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

Impacts of receiving disinformation

1. Erosion of trust in the democratic process: sharing protest footage alongside captions like “Why do we have the EC?” while election results remain unstable further intensifies public suspicion toward independent agencies. This kind of disinformation may lead people to prematurely conclude that “actual fraud has occurred to the point of people taking to the streets,” despite the footage being related to past Senate-related issues.
2. Conflict and violence incitement: distorted information often works with “emotions” rather than “reason.” When individuals see large-scale protest images (from old clips), it creates a collective sense that the situation is reaching a crisis point. This can provoke people into deciding to demonstrate on the streets. It may lead to actual confrontations or escalating hatred between groups with differing political views.
3. “Truth” obscured: when society is saturated with frequently debunked fake news, a state of “information fatigue” emerges. This causes the public to lose faith in mainstream media or genuine news released later. The most dangerous consequence is that during a real crisis, the public may skeptically ask, “Is this fake news?” until it is too late to respond effectively.