The Ministry of Health is alarmed by the rise in off-hand political comments on Facebook since Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was thrown out of office last week.

 

“We hoped the opening of Central Embassy would monopolize Facebook conversations,” said MD Pornthip Sriprawatpanamong, Director of the Social Media Mental Health Department. “But Yingluck being booted out was just too much for some to resist. It has led many to slip back into bad habits, commenting about politics even though no one really cares what you think.”

 

We spoke to Chris Burker, an English teacher who has lived here 10 years and just couldn’t help himself. “I went online and asked, 'What’s the difference between Abhisit being forced to reinstate that cop he threw out, and Yingluck’s case?' Of course, it was just a rhetorical question meant to piss off my ultra-royalist friends and goad a reaction. But I just got comments from Bob and Mike instead, and these guys will argue about any old crap, so it doesn’t count.”

 

Dr. Pornthip explains that discussing politics on social media is just plain bad for personal popularity. “Your high school friends really don’t care about your life anymore. They can just about tolerate carefully curated pictures that are meant to make you look interesting and fun. But start talking about the government and constitutional loopholes and you’ll just get unfollowed, or even unfriended, without realizing it.”

 

May Thamtong, an executive at a leading bank, learned this the hard way. “I went out drinking with friends,” she says. “Then I drunk-posted, ‘And so, how is this helping? WHAT NOW?’ with a link to some op-ed piece.” She woke up the following morning and realized what she’d done. “I had two likes and no comments. It was very embarrassing. I immediately deleted the update and posted a video of a burping kitten. But I think the damage is already done.”

 

Dr. Pornthip had some helpful tips for those worried about experiencing a similar fate: “No one wants to talk about politics with you. No one cares what you think. Just keep posting pictures of funny animals and you’ll be fine.”