From parodies of Thai Line spam to pairing political parties with Westerosi factions from “Game of Thrones,” the digital seas are churning with snark and parody days before a much-anticipated election.
Here are a few of the hot political memes that have circulated through the digital bloodstream in recent days.
In this graphic posted Friday, someone matched the major political parties to characters from HBO’s “Game of Thrones”
In it, pro-junta party Phalang Pracharat is power-addicted queen Cersei Lannister, while its archrival Pheu Thai Party is sulky protagonist Jon Snow “demanding justice.” Progressive newcomer Future Forward is young dragon queen Danaerys Targaryen, who is described as “the fiery newcomer.” Chaos-striver and expert fence-sitter Littlefinger stands in for the Democrat Party and a Westerosi religious zealot is the Buddhist virtue-signaling People’s Reform Party.
A comic imagines a rupture between anti-junta confederates. It in, a deputy Future Forward leader and former military man charged with cybercrimes this week vows to get the police out of politics, much to the chagrin of three allies and former policemen: Gen. Sereepisut Temeeyavets of the Thai Liberal Party, Pheu Thai’s Capt. Chalerm Yubamrung of and former police Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra.
Although Future Forward has its own billionaire leader, the pro-establishment wing has worked overtime to associate it with Thaksin, the ousted premiere it most reviles.
“Cults of personality,” reads a caption to a side-by-side comparison of party members and Thaksin’s Redshirt supporters. In one comment, a user posted an image morphing Thaksin and Thanathorn into “Thaknathorn Shinroongruangwatra.” “Assemble! I’m rich, and I’m not corrupt!” he wrote.
When Prayuth recently mugged for a camera like Burt Reynolds was still the ideal of masculinity, it was like a challenge to the internet. And people couldn’t keep their Photoshoppin’ fingers off them after his party used one for a completely irony-free “Happy Tuesday” spam post usually found in Line groups comprised of baby boomers. It spawned a slew of copycats and started drawing in other pols.
Several memes addressed how the 250 junta-appointed senators are allowed a say in who is the next premier – and edge they’re expected to give to Prayuth. This video inserts Prayuth into 2012’s “The Dictator” as Sasha Baren Cohen in a slightly unfair race.
‘How many people do you need to conquer 70 million?’ ‘I need just 125,’ resurrects perennial favorite “300” to highlight Phalang Pracharat’s need for only 125 votes in the lower house if the full senate goes for Prayuth.
And of course there’s one of the most popular political webcomics, which has been pumping out election related frames daily, such as Drakeposting Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva’s position on Prayuth’s candidacy.
Ditch the lulz for cold hard facts on the election with our guide on how to vote, a brief explainer on the major parties and more of our election coverage.
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