Abstract:
In the past, the media was an important pillar of democracy, acting as a middle ground between political parties and the public. However, social media has now changed the form of political communication, allowing political parties to communicate directly with the public in society. Thailand has entered the technological era by introducing technology into society in a significant way, resulting in faster and more convenient communication and news awareness in society. According to statistics on the Move Forward Party's social media, as election day approaches, the Move Forward Party's followers have increased dramatically on the TikTok platform, leading researchers to be interested in studying the Move Forward Party's political communication strategies via social media. The objectives are to study the Move Forward Party's exposure to political news via social media, to study the factors that led the Move Forward Party to gain a large number of votes in the 2023 election, and to study the Move Forward Party's political communication strategies via social media that affect current support. This is qualitative research using document analysis and in-depth interviews with 15 key informants directly involved in the study. The purposive sampling method, triangulation, data analysis, inductive conclusion generation, and content analysis from documents and interviews were written in a narrative format. The results of the research found that: The exposure of political news via social media of the Move Forward Party in 4 channels, consisting of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and various social media, allows the Move Forward Party to quickly and widely disseminate information and policies of the party to supporters and voters. The group of people that the Move Forward Party chooses to reach the most are the youth and teenagers in disseminating information, news, and political policies, encouraging people to participate more in expressing their opinions and politics. The Move Forward Party has been successful in using the best media, which is TikTok. Using TikTok allows the Move Forward Party to reach the group of young voters who are the party's main target group. TikTok is also a platform that emphasizes short, concise, and fun content that attracts the public's attention, which has led to the Move Forward Party's popularity. Factors that led the Move Forward Party to receive a large number of votes in the 2023 election The Move Forward Party was able to respond to the needs of the people, including policies that focused on changing and reforming Thai politics in a clear and tangible way. The Move Forward Party received support from the people who wanted to change and reform Thai politics. The Move Forward Party proposed policies that responded to the problems and needs of the people in many areas, such as social development, education, economic reform, and solving inequality. The use of social media is a main channel for communicating and building relationships with voters, allowing the Move Forward Party to attract young people who are eager to change society. With a friendly and approachable image, trustworthiness, and transparency, it builds confidence in the Move Forward Party. The Move Forward Party also offers new approaches to solving political problems, resulting in people voting for the Move Forward Party. The Move Forward Party's political communication strategy via social media found that the Move Forward Party effectively used political communication strategies via social media to reach and build relationships with various target groups. The Move Forward Party recognizes the importance of adjusting content and messages to suit the characteristics of each group, whether they are teenagers, the elderly, or the LGBTQ group. Adjusting content to match the interests and needs of each group of followers helps to attract more attention and build more confidence in the Move Forward Party. In dealing with the social media crisis, the Move Forward Party has methods to respond quickly and effectively in order to effectively maintain the image and confidence of the Move Forward Party. It also provides opportunities for the public to express their opinions and suggestions, which allows the Move Forward Party to better adapt to the needs of the public