The hashtag #แบนสปอนเซอร์เนชั่น (ban Nation’s sponsors) trended on Thai Twitter on Wednesday as netizens vowed to boycott all of The Nation’s sponsors for consistent screw-ups and pro-establishment editorials.
The social media trend was inspired, in part, by the news that The Nation TV’s reporter lied to protesters on Sunday that they were from other news agencies in order to get interviews and quotes.
This subsequently caused ire among the public – both online and offline – for the outlet’s lack of professionalism.
Students have also said that its TV channel promotes pro-military and pro-junta headlines prompting the now popular hashtag and movement.
Conservative media has been under pressure lately as Thais move online and away from traditional sources of news. (Read more here)
There are at least 25 sponsors for the popular, conservative media outlet, most being big brands and popular every product – from the likes of Oral-B, Kanor, Wall’s, Sara, Vaseline, Clear, and Breeze, among many others.
The Nation multimedia group was recently the subject of a takeover by Chai Bunnag who’s common-law wife, Watanya Wongopasi, serves as an MP for the pro-military Palang Pracharath Party.
