BANGKOK — 11 May 2026, Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) confirmed reports of a newly discovered coronavirus strain found in bats in Thailand, while stressing that no human infections have been detected and the virus appears less capable of causing disease or spreading than COVID-19.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Wetang Puangsub, said on Monday that the latest findings from the Anti-Fake News Center (AFNC) as part of an intensified government crackdown on disinformation. The monitoring efforts follow a policy directive from DE Minister Chaichanok Chidchob to address threats to national and social security. Officials said the ministry is prioritising public awareness to combat technological crime, fake news, and the spread of distorted information.
The statement was issued following monitoring by Thailand’s Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC), which reviewed 160,397 online messages on 9 May 2026. Of those, 8,714 messages were flagged for verification, with nearly all originating from social media monitoring and one submitted through the Line Official channel.
Among the seven most widely discussed cases, two were classified as true, three as false and two as misleading. The confirmed reports included:
- True News: the discovery of the new coronavirus strain in Thai bats.
- True News: four stricter measures in 31 border provinces to curb smuggling and narcotics trafficking.
- Fake News: claims of online driving licence applications through a TikTok account.
- Fake News: allegations that new laws in the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) would allow casinos and 99-year land leases.
- Distorted News: assertions that tongue characteristics could diagnose internal diseases.
- Distorted News: the cancellation of the “MOU44” maritime agreement.
- Fake News: a fraudulent Facebook page posing as the Department of Skill Development to recruit home-based paper bag packers.
The “discovery of the new coronavirus strain in Thai bats” had been verified as true news in cooperation with the Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Public Health. The discovery was made through wildlife disease surveillance conducted under the “One Health” approach, which monitors and controls diseases affecting humans, animals and the environment.
Authorities said studies so far suggest the virus has a lower potential for transmission and severe illness than COVID-19. Existing COVID-19 vaccines are also believed to remain effective in reducing severe symptoms should infections occur. Officials therefore assessed the current risk of a widespread outbreak as low.
The ministry urged the public to verify information before sharing it online and to rely only on information issued by official agencies to avoid confusion, misinformation and potential harm to personal data or property.
