WITCH HUNT” IN SOCIAL MEDIA : A PHENOMENON IN CONTEMPORARY THAI SOCIETY

Abstract

"Witch Hunt" in social media is a contemporary phenomenon in Thai society that a group of people formed in cyber society by using social media in order to justify a deviant or immoral case in the society. It involves insults, attacks on the target's reputation, exposure of personal information, and even threats of physical harm in some cases. This research aims toexplain patterns of social media witch hunting in Thailand by examiningfour case studies, the first of which occurred within the business world, the second and the thirdin the entertainment industry, and the fourth in the political sphere. The research employs phenomenological methodology byusing netnography approach. Data in social media has been collected since analysis.

            The research findings; Four cases were identified which could be described as social media witch hunts. These cases were focused in four different areas, including the retail sphere (7-112  Nov 2013-22 May 2014(PDRC), May 3, 2015-May 31,2015(7-11), Feb 5 2015- Feb 9,2016(VRZO)/Jan 8,2016-March 8, 2016(DjKeng) and examined by content analysis and discourse), entertainment sphere TuptimAnyarin, (VRZO)/DJ Keng, and political sphere (PDRC). Each of these four cases had a different cause, butthey followed a similar process, which might be varied from other case studies. After the completion of  data collecting and analyzing processes, the research revealed the patterns of social media witch hunting in Thailand, its effects and measurements for whoever concernsin preventing and solving when occurs.