POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN THE POST-TRUTH ERA: THE DYNAMICS OF DIGITAL MEDIA, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND BUDDHIST WISDOM FOR THAI DEMOCRACY

Abstract

This academic article aimed to 1) Examine and analyze the transformation of political communication in the context of digital media, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic systems, and 2) Propose a Buddhist wisdom framework for promoting responsible political communication.
The study employed documentary research and conceptual analysis based on academic literature, concepts, theories, and relevant research. The findings revealed that political communication had transformed from a linear, mass media-centered model into a networked communication system in which citizens, digital platforms, algorithms, and artificial intelligence played interconnected roles in producing, disseminating, filtering, and shaping the meanings of political information. This transformation had increased opportunities for citizens to access information and participate in political processes while simultaneously generating significant challenges, including unreliable information, fake news, disinformation, political polarization, information silos, hate speech, and artificial intelligence-generated content, which could affect public perceptions, decision-making, and the quality of digital democracy. Accordingly, the article proposed the “Buddhist Wisdom Framework for Political Communication in the Post-truth Era toward Thai Digital Democracy,” which integrated Buddhist wisdom principles, namely the Kalama Sutta, Yoniso Manasikāra, Right Speech, Appamāda, and the Four Brahmavihāras. The framework was designed to develop citizens’ abilities to verify information, engage in rational and critical thinking, communicate responsibly, exercise mindfulness, and respect political differences. The new body of knowledge indicated that the development of digital democracy could not rely solely on technological advancement but required the concurrent development of citizens’ wisdom, morality, and responsibility. Such an integrated approach could contribute to higher-quality political communication, reduce political conflict, and strengthen the quality and resilience of Thai democracy.