In many countries, April 1 is April Fools' Day , the equivalent of April Fool's Day. This year, the Thai authorities have imposed an exception to the pranks that many play these days: whoever pretends to be infected or makes jokes related to the coronavirus on the Internet, faces a fine of 100,000 Thai baht (about 2,770 euros) or five years of prison.
As the Government of Thailand's Public Relations Department shared on Twitter, “People around the world are suffering from the COVID-19 outbreak and that is a sufficient reason why people should be more considerate and not use this as a joke or a joke ”. The Government's Public Relations department has also spoken through its social networks. "Under the Thai Emergency Decree, alarmists are warned not to spread false news or rumors about the COVID-19 pandemic through any media channel. Violators will be prosecuted under the BE 2550 Cybercrime Act (2007) or the Emergency Decree BE 2548 (2005) ".
People around the world are suffering from # Covid19 outbreak, and that's reason enough why people should be more consider and not use this as a prank or a joke. pic.twitter.com/DvF5A1WOv6
- PR Thai Government (@prdthailand) March 31, 2020Given that people are trusting the Internet these days to obtain vital information about the coronavirus, there is a fear that the typical jokes of this day could fuel the spread of false information online. The authorities have not clarified if the memes and jokes on the subject - very common these days and that even play a role in the face of anguish and uncertainty - would also be included in this decision. While the scientific community works against the clock to find a vaccine against, myths like drinking cow urine, even making vapor (breathing hot water steam) to reduce the risk of infection, have been widely circulated since the beginning of the crisis.
As Piya Uthayo, a police spokesperson, has explained to the local press, anyone who is found guilty of "spreading fear or damaging the country's image" on the Internet will be penalized both with the recently enacted emergency decree and with the Law on Cybercrime.
With these measures, the authorities want to prevent the recurrence of some events of the past few days, such as that of a famous television presenter who suggested in a Facebook video that divine powers will save the country from the pandemic. "Thailand is supersacred. We have many Bodhisattvas (people embarking on the Buddha's path), His Majesty the King, and so many angels and spirits that protect us ... ", Kalamare, 43, exposed in his profile, receiving a barrage of criticism from his million followers.
Thailand has not been the only one to go after the pranksters. The German Ministry of Health has also urged not to invent stories related to the coronavirus, under the concept "the coronavirus is not a joke." Even tech giant Google, famous for its annual skits, has canceled the tradition this year.
The President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, has warned his citizens through Facebook that whoever spreads rumors or false information could face three years in prison, or a fine of up to 3 million Taiwan dollars (about 90,600 euros) . And the Interior Minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra has warned on Twitter that he will take legal measures for anyone who spreads rumors and panic, adding that he has instructed the authorities to act "quickly and strongly against the criminals."
Thailand in a state of emergency
This Wednesday, Thailand has confirmed 120 new cases of coronavirus and two more deaths, new figures that bring the total number of infections to 1,771 and 12 deaths to date.
The country declared a state of emergency on March 27 to try to stop a rapid increase in infections. Since then, companies have adopted teleworking policies wherever possible and schools have adopted virtual education until further notice.
In Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, all stores are to close at midnight until five in the morning, starting today, including street food stalls. The measure has been imposed in other provinces, such as in Nonthaburi, where the closure will be from 23.00 to 5.00.
At the moment, it has not been specified until when these measures will be imposed, since the governors have been granted some emergency powers until the end of April, including the authority to close the places they think necessary to contain the virus, measures that could be extended in the coming days.
Memes and coronavirus
JRH
The memes and jokes we share on social media are not just a distraction, as we discussed in a recent article. These memes help create spaces for conversation on the internet. As An Xiao Mina writes in Memes to Movements , these tools are (or may be) "semi-public and symbolic micro-actions" that contribute to changing public opinion and, especially, to attract the attention of the media and other users of the social networks. In other words, they help some issues gain public presence, whether they are protests against a dictatorship or the importance of maintaining social distance, in the case of the current pandemic. They also help us identify more with a cause or an idea, like when we put the LGBT flag on our Facebook profile.
To this, of course, we must add the positive effects that humor has in the midst of a pandemic, of which we have also spoken. A joke about the supermarket robberies these days can help us deal with the uncertainty we are experiencing.
But these same media and channels can be a resource to spread hoaxes or incorrect information, even with good intention. For example, the messages proposing to change the two kisses or the handshake due to the collision of the elbows: according to the director-general of the World Health Organization himself, it was not a good idea, since it put us less than a meter from distance from our interlocutor.
The constant need for information, the little time we have to contrast each of the data that comes to us and the fact that it also comes from friends and family (people we trust) also contribute to the jokes more or less Heavy and hoaxes can gain credibility.
To know more...
... Questions and answers about the coronavirus: from its symptoms to its possible social and economic effects.
... In this guide to action against coronavirus you can find answers to know what to do when you suspect it, how to prevent it or how to act if you are infected.
... Here you can follow the virus progression in Spain updated and here, in the world.
... We offer you ideas to better spend your time at home: exercise, music, culture without leaving the room.
... Watch your eyes during confinement.
... How to deal with isolation at home if you have anxiety problems.
... Do you get many jokes and memes about the coronavirus? What is humor for in a moment like this?
... Ideas and projects that seek to stop the curve.
... You can follow the latest news about the coronavirus in the live of EL PAÍS.
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