An online rumor that National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) visited Thailand at taxpayers’ expense in July is “classic cognitive warfare” intended to signal to foreign officials that their whereabouts in Thailand are known to China, a national security official said on Saturday.
The rumor originated from a Twitter message posted on Monday last week by the account “somchai” (@andreny45652235), claiming that Chen took a sightseeing trip to Thailand at public expense.
As proof, the user posted a photograph of Chen allegedly taken at Thai customs, as well as screenshots of a customs clearance spreadsheet and a hotel bill.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The post was also shared on Facebook, including the popular group Baoliao Commune.
The bureau the same day said details of the post were incorrect, although it did not specify whether Chen visited Thailand.
“The activities of bureau officials as a matter of course are not shared with the public,” it said.
The Twitter account was created only last month and posted six messages before being taken down, a national security official said on condition of anonymity.
The incident played out as “classic cognitive warfare from overseas,” they said.
The account posted unverified photographs designed to instigate public debate and urged viewers to “see for yourself,” the official said.
The post was then shared on different social media platforms by collaborators and rewritten into news stories, ensuring that the false narrative makes the switch from online to offline to expand its sphere of influence, they said.
If true, it reveals the extent to which Chinese agents have infiltrated security systems in Thailand, they said, adding that the post intentionally includes information from multiple sources to convey its reach.
Apart from attempting to cast doubt on the abilities of Taiwan’s national security apparatus, the post also intends to send a message to officials from other countries that China might be aware of the details of their trips to Thailand, the official said.
As for the purpose of Chen’s alleged visit, the official said that Thailand has always been an important international center for intelligence.
Distrust of Beijing has deepened among other countries in the region over the past few months, and consequently boosting security ties and cooperation has become an urgent matter, they added.
Additional reporting by Aaron Tu
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