A photo of Suan Khwan Muang Park in Yala on Jan. 12, 2020 filled with litter, posted on Pattani News Facebook page, is labeled “Lumpini Park” by Facebook user Vanisa Tirak.

BANGKOK — A photo that falsely accused a pro-government rally of littering Lumpini Park in Bangkok has been shared by more than 34,000 people as of Monday afternoon. 

The photo was first posted by Facebook user Vanisa Tirak, who contrasted the alleged image of Lumpini Park after the “Walk to Support Uncle” was held there on Sunday with the aftermath of “Run Against Dictatorship” at Suan Rot Fai. The former looked to be full of garbage, the second impeccably clean.

“The top photo is from Suan Lum on Jan. 12, 2020 during the #WalktoSupportUncle rally. The bottom photo is from Suan Rot Fai on Jan. 12, 2020 during the #RunAgainstDictatorship rally,” Vanisa wrote.   

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Many opponents of the government soon shared the photo on social media while demonizing the “Walk to Support Uncle” rally.

“Wherever filthy people are, filth is there,” wrote user Khemmika Semsawek in a comment with more than 400 likes.

“They have such black hearts, that’s why they do such disgusting things, these Walk to Support Prayuth people,” wrote user Tho Kamsawang. More than 34,000 netizens have shared the photos, and counting. 

But it turned out the photo of dirty “Lumpini Park” was actually taken from Pattani News Facebook page, which shows Suan Khwan Muang Park in Yala province after a Childrens’ Day event was held there on Saturday. The page chided festival-goers for not picking trash after themselves. 

By contrast, littering didn’t appear to be a problem at the anti- and pro-Prayuth rallies in Bangkok. 

A reporter covering the anti-government run at Suan Rot Fai said organizers had a 60-strong team who collected and sorted trash. Juice boxes were even folded and packed for recycling. Post-rally cleanup took two hours, and the park was left relatively neat.

At “Walk to Support Uncle,” trash was also collected and disposed into park trash cans, not left on the park ground as alleged by many netizens, a reporter said.

“Run Against Dictatorship” organizers sort trash at their rally Jan. 12, 2020.
“Run Against Dictatorship” organizers sort trash at their rally Jan. 12, 2020.
Flattened juice boxes ready to be recycled at the “Run Against Dictatorship” rally on Jan. 12, 2020.
Flattened juice boxes ready to be recycled at the “Run Against Dictatorship” rally on Jan. 12, 2020.
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