AI-generated image misleads online as Thai-Cambodian online spat continues
- Published on October 22, 2025 at 11:24
- Updated on October 22, 2025 at 11:46
- 3 min read
- By Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE, AFP Thailand
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Social media users in Thailand and Cambodia have continued to taunt each other with false claims after the neighbours fought a deadly border clash in July 2025. The latest includes an AI-generated image shared in Thai-language posts that falsely claim it showed the arrest of an illegal Cambodian worker in South Korea. The image contains visual inconsistencies -- which are hallmarks that it was fabricated -- while Google's detection tool has marked it as made with AI.
"South Korean netizens shared a photo of police arresting illegal Cambodian workers. They say, 'Illegal Cambodian workers in Korea protested demanding justice for their country. He and 12 others were arrested this morning ...'" reads a Thai-language Facebook post published on October 17, 2025.
The image appears to show two police officers taking a man into custody during a street demonstration.
Thai and Cambodian social media users have continued to trade barbs online despite a truce that stopped a deadly five-day clash between the neighbours in July, which killed at least 43 people on both sides and displaced some 300,000 (archived link).
Seoul banned its citizens on October 15 from travelling to parts of Cambodia in response to the torture and killing of a South Korean college student in August 2025, reportedly involving a crime ring (archived link). Three Chinese nationals were later charged with murder and online fraud.
South Korea's foreign ministry said around 1,000 of its citizens were working in Cambodian scam centres. Sixty-four South Koreans who had been detained in Cambodia for alleged involvement in cyberscam operations returned home on October 18 and were immediately taken into custody (archived link).
Other posts on Facebook, TikTok and X also shared the image with the false claim, while Thai broadcaster Amarin TV used it in reports on its Facebook page and website.
But reverse image search found that Google's search tool flagged the visual as "Made with Google AI."
A Google spokesperson has previously said that when a SynthID watermark is detected, it confirms "the image has been generated or modified with AI" (archived link).
A close analysis revealed visual consistencies indicative of AI-generated content -- including extra black strips distinct from the real national flag of South Korea and tags on the officers' uniforms with illegible characters (archived link).
Using keyword searches on Google, AFP found a now-deleted TikTok video shared on August 22, 2025 that showed protesters dressed in similar clothes, along with the same mountain and buildings in the false image, but without the officers.
Its caption -- written in Korean and Khmer -- said it showed protesters calling for the release of Cambodian soldiers detained following the deadly border clashes with Thailand in late July (archived link).
Cambodian nationals held demonstrations across several cities in South Korea from late July to August denouncing the Thai military (archived here and here).
Some rallyists also voiced their support of Donald Trump, nominating the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a ceasefire between the two Southeast Asian nations (archived link).
A spokesperson for the Seoul police told AFP by phone on October 22 that they are not aware of any Cambodian nationals arrested in the demonstrations.
AFP previously debunked misinformation related to the Cambodian protest in South Korea and other claims about the Thailand-Cambodian conflict.
Updated to change caption in third screenshot comparisonOctober 22, 2025 Updated to change caption in third screenshot comparison
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