Proceedings of the International Conference of Communication Science Research (ICCSR 2018)

Divided Virtual Politics: Micro-Counter Transcripts in Thailand

Authors
Malinee Khumsupa
Corresponding Author
Malinee Khumsupa
Available Online July 2018.
DOI
10.2991/iccsr-18.2018.88How to use a DOI?
Keywords
virtual politics; micro-counter; transcript; rally poltics; polarization
Abstract

Mass demonstrations known as “Rally politics” has been mobilized in Thailand for over a decade since the 2006 coup. It has deeply shaped and divided the country for many years. Two main coalitions, PAD (Anti-Thaksin) and UDD (Pro-Thaksin), utilize yellow and red T-shirts respectively to mobilize and campaign. Both camps staged protests on streets and organized media, TV and radio to peddle their agenda. Each camp has a legion of followers that watch what goes on in real time, day and night, for months as if it were a reality TV show. While medias captured footages of the street protests to audiences who followed the progress with great interests, the streets itself became a place of confrontation and increasing conflicts. On the other hand, new media has changed protesting on many levels, whereby active resistance can now generate content that communicate their own messages, and thus shape perspectives and stories that align with their respective agenda and visions. In other words, divided virtual politics mediatized online instead of mass rallies on the streets. Particularly, under the authoritarian military government, new media has assisted individual self-initiated resistance or small groups to counter virtually instead of mass mobilization. They create hidden transcripts in public and online medias such as selfies, short clips, social media posts, click support, as well as performances including the following activities: wearing masks, raising three-finger salutes, uploading clips, reading controversial books in public, etc. Thus, even though Thai virtual politics is still very much divided, confrontation and violence has not increased. New media transforms mass mobilization to disappear and give birth to a new self-initiated micro-counter public and hidden transcripts instead.

Copyright
© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference of Communication Science Research (ICCSR 2018)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
July 2018
ISBN
978-94-6252-596-2
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/iccsr-18.2018.88How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Malinee Khumsupa
PY  - 2018/07
DA  - 2018/07
TI  - Divided Virtual Politics: Micro-Counter Transcripts in Thailand
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference of Communication Science Research (ICCSR 2018)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 400
EP  - 404
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/iccsr-18.2018.88
DO  - 10.2991/iccsr-18.2018.88
ID  - Khumsupa2018/07
ER  -