Watch out for boomerangs

Lately, people in Thailand have grown to enjoy living in the virtual world far more than before. Life has become immersed in the internet in the blink of an eye, and they keep uploading and sharing all kinds of information and stories.

So everyone is scrambling to find new ways to create videos that become the talk of the town. They want to rack up views, get likes, and quickly ride the wave of word-of-mouth buzz. But how do you make such videos?

Thais always say, "Bad rumors spread loud and fast, impossible to hide" (because bad stuff is just way more interesting!). It's ironic, but true. So, some people try to find shortcuts to becoming a topic, even if it means ignoring Thai culture and traditions. Others completely forget the fact that bad news spreads even faster.

A video surfaced of an actress behaving in an extremely rude and arrogant manner toward her fan club members at a shopping mall. It turned out to be a staged ad for a product, intended to generate buzz.

The video did indeed spread like wildfire, but the internet flooded with negative comments. Ultimately, the actress was forced to issue an official apology. However, people had already formed a thoroughly negative impression of the product.

A popular TV show host faced legal trouble. The program is well-regarded for accurately reflecting the real-life situations and circumstances we experience daily. One day, he posted on his Facebook page that rice contamination was progressing in Thailand.

However, the information's veracity was unconfirmed at that point. The post severely impacted several major rice-selling corporations and the Thai government. The host now faces a crossroads: either apologize and retract the claim, or face legal action.

No one can deny the virtual world is fascinating. Yet, when we communicate online, we must exercise extreme caution. Any action can boomerang back to us. Therefore, it's better to be overly cautious before sending a message. It's entirely possible that boomerang will come full circle and hit you squarely.

(Supervised by: Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network Business Division)