THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLITICAL NEWS PERCEPTION IN THAI SOCIETY : THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCES

Abstract

            This academic article aims to analyze the role and influence of social media on political news perception among citizens in Thai society. By integrating theoretical frameworks with the analysis of contemporary Thai political empirical evidence, the study finds that social media has transformed the structure of political communication from a centralized model to a decentralized network. This shift has dismantled information monopolies and empowered bottom-up political participation. However,                                                                               empirical findings indicate that online news perception faces three critical challenges: 1) algorithms that create the Echo Chamber phenomenon, reinforcing existing beliefs and deepening ideological divides; 2) the proliferation of Fake News and Information Operations (IO) that distort facts; and 3) Affective Polarization, which threatens the stability of the democratic system. The article concludes that while social media serves as a tool for promoting freedom, the lack of media literacy and appropriate governance could pose a long-term obstacle to the development of Thai politics.