A new academic study has revealed that Thai authorities have been running a coordinated online doxxing campaign to intimidate and silence pro-democracy activists. The campaign, codenamed “JUICYJAM,” has been active and largely unchallenged since at least August 2020, using social media to target protesters and their families with the malicious publication of private information.
Doxxing, the act of searching for and publishing someone’s personal data online with harmful intent, has become a powerful tool for suppressing dissent in Thailand. According to the study, JUICYJAM operated across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, using a fake persona to harass pro-democracy protesters, encourage followers to report them to police, and share sensitive details such as home addresses and family businesses.
The campaign’s true origins were confirmed after a leak of confidential military and police documents in March 2025. These documents, released by a Thai opposition MP, linked JUICYJAM directly to the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Police, who have reportedly merged their online repression efforts into a joint “Cyber Team” since 2023.
How JUICYJAM Works
JUICYJAM’s main account, posing as a middle-aged businesswoman and using a character from the anime “One Piece” as its avatar, has amassed nearly 110,000 followers on X and over 133,000 on Facebook. Posts often receive thousands of views and hundreds of comments, with most engagement coming from real users. The campaign’s tactics include doxxing activists, smearing their reputations, and calling for their arrest.
Image: Freepik.
The study found that JUICYJAM’s posts often contained information that could only have been obtained by authorities, such as private social media posts, government IDs, and even footage from within police lines at protests. This privileged access, combined with the campaign’s scale and coordination, points to direct state involvement.
Real-World harm
The impact of JUICYJAM goes beyond online harassment. The study documents cases where activists targeted by the campaign were later arrested, charged under harsh laws like lèse-majesté (which criminalizes insulting the monarchy), or even physically assaulted. For example, activist Jatuporn Sae-ung was doxxed and mocked online before being sentenced to three years in prison. Others, like protester Itthikorn Sapchang, were beaten by unidentified gangs after being targeted online.
Despite clear violations of privacy and safety, JUICYJAM’s accounts have remained active on major platforms. The study criticizes X and Meta (Facebook’s parent company) for failing to enforce their own policies against doxxing, especially when it is part of a coordinated, state-sponsored campaign. Recommendations from oversight bodies, such as creating hotlines for victims and suspending accounts involved in severe privacy violations, have not been fully implemented.
The researchers warn that JUICYJAM is not an isolated case. Similar tactics have been used in places like Hong Kong, and as social media companies scale back safety programs, state-backed doxxing campaigns are likely to become more common. The study calls for urgent action from tech platforms to better protect civil society, especially in countries with declining democratic freedoms.
As Thailand’s pro-democracy movement continues to face both online and offline repression, the exposure of JUICYJAM highlights the urgent need for stronger safeguards against digital harassment and state-sponsored intimidation.
Sources:
- Citizenlab – https://citizenlab.ca/2025/04/how-thai-authorities-use-online-doxxing-to-suppress-dissent/
