Online Campaign Narratives in Thailand’s 2023 General Election: An Ecosystem Analysis
Surachanee Sriyai, author
Date of publication:
2024
Publisher:
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Number of pages:
44
Code:
TRS29/24
Soft Cover
ISBN: 9789815306248
About the publication
This article explores the intricate dynamics of election-related narratives and ideological shifts that characterized Thailand’s 2023 general election during a pivotal moment when the salient issue transcends the economy, encompassing a profound ideological shift that cuts across social cleavages.
Leveraging an original dataset comprising over 2,500 posts disseminated by major parties on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter) one month prior to the election to two days afterwards, the findings show that while parties have different posting strategies and a predetermined platform of choice, their campaign narratives can be categorized in general terms.
Although economic and populist policies are the most prevalent campaigning narratives for most parties, the victory of the Move Forward party, gained through highlighting social issues and structural reforms, suggests that promises to address deep-rooted societal issues might have been more appealing to the Thai voters in this election.
Distinct engagement patterns for some types of posts are also observed, alluding that netizens’ reactions can be different based on the types of content posted by parties. However, apart from the Move Forward Party’s followers, discrediting narratives did not receive much reaction from other parties’ followers.
This book is on the press and will be available for purchase from 30 December 2024.
Contents
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Online Campaign Narratives in Thailand’s 2023 General Election: An Ecosystem Analysis
[Whole Publication, ISBN: 9789815306255], by Surachanee Sriyai, author
