“LADYBOYS IN BLUE” ran a striking headline across the front page of the Daily Star on May 27 as it reported on the news that “undiecover cops masqueraded as ladyboys in frocks” to catch a suspected drug dealer.
Illustrated with a picture of the glammed-up officers, reporter Ed Easton detailed how they posed as “elaborately dressed dancers, meaning the cops’ cunning disguises meant they blended in brilliantly”.
The flamboyant outfits allowed the officers, in Lopburi province, Thailand, to pounce on the alleged dealer, Mekha Fa-wap-wap, at a street festival. According to the report, he was found with up to 53 methamphetamine pills and faces charges of possessing category one narcotics for sale, as well as a separate rap for operating an illegal slot machine.
Classic tabloid fodder, alright, with just one problem… the picture was AI.
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Industry website Press Gazette spoke to a Thailand-based agency editor who investigated the story after the Facebook post where the story originated began trending locally earlier this week. They shared an interview transcript with Tha Luang police superintendent Panthep Panadit who said: “The image showing police officers wearing drag-style costumes while arresting the suspect was created using AI software.
“As for why they were wearing that, I honestly don’t know either. I wasn’t the one who posted it. Someone sent it to me to have a look at.”
The editor at the Thai agency added, not unreasonably: “Common sense would dictate that four middle-aged men in dresses standing in a line of carnival dancers is hardly undercover. It’s also not protocol to ever have civilians in the mugshot pictures, so the female dancer sitting there immediately rings alarm bells.”
The Star itself later quietly updated the story online, quoting police sergeant Rachana Mitrsuripong, from Tha Luang provincial police station in Lopburi province, saying he carried out the editing on the snap.
He was quoted as saying: “I wanted to create a friendlier image of the police, showing a cute and humorous side, so that people would feel more comfortable approaching officers. Sometimes the public feels intimidated by the police.”
The blunder surprised few at the Star, where staffers complain their bosses have little interest in the print paper, focusing on a relentless drive on clicks to the website.
But the Ooh Aah Daily Star wasn’t alone in falling for the hoax – the Daily Telegraph, Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Express and GB News all ran with the story and picture on their websites, along with the New York Post.
The Sun has since updated its story and noted: “The original version of this article took the picture supplied by police in good faith and reported as though the picture was genuine, as other outlets did.”
And an updated Facebook post from the Thai police station now includes the original, undoctored image and states (according to the Facebook auto translation): “The real one is here, everyone. It’s AI. I inform you.” Whoops!
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