COMMENT | In a media landscape clouded by digital noise and echo chambers, the line between fact and fiction grows thinner by the day.

Over the past 48 hours, a video from Thailand has made its rounds online, levelling serious accusations against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, branding him a traitor and a spy.

Dramatic in tone but devoid of credible substance, the claims originate from General Rangsi Kitiyansap, a former military officer turned political outlier whose standing in Thai politics is, at best, marginal.

Rangsi’s name is not new in Thailand’s political arena, but notoriety is no substitute for credibility. Once the head of the Royal Thai Army’s television network, Thai TV 5, he used the platform as a vehicle for pro-military messaging rather than public information.

In 2023, he led the Economic Party in Thailand’s general election. The result was humiliating. The party won no seats. Its only previous representative was a defector, not a victor.

In Malaysia, this would be equivalent to parties like Berjasa or Pejuang, known more for social media theatrics than real influence. They speak loudly but wield no power.