AI-generated images of 'flood relief train' in Thailand deceive online audience

Severe floods in southern Thailand have claimed at least 267 lives, with Hat Yai, the region's largest city, reporting the majority of deaths. Despite this crisis, several images circulating online showing trains carrying relief supplies have been confirmed as AI-generated fabrications.

Googles detection tools revealed that the visuals were produced using its AI models, and AFP investigations showed that the supposed relief cargo was digitally overlaid onto unrelated train footage. A Facebook post in Thai, dated November 25, 2025, claimed that a volunteer team with ambulances and more than five boats from the Mae Jo rescue team and RKU firefighters was being sent from Chiang Mai to Hat Yai. The post, published by a page with 400,000 followers, featured three images of trains transporting rubber boats, speedboats, and fire trucks.

The fabricated post spread widely on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X, with some users reacting as if the images were authentic. Comments included expressions of solidarity and gratitude, reflecting the publics concern for those affected by the floods.

Authorities reported that tens of thousands of people were displaced due to torrential rains and that Hat Yai alone accounted for 142 fatalities. The government has launched relief efforts, but criticism over the response has grown, leading to the suspension of two local officials.

The flooding was intensified by a rare tropical storm that brought heavy rain to Sumatra and other parts of Southeast Asia. Experts note that climate change is contributing to stronger storms and increased rainfall events.

State Railway of Thailand officials confirmed that no freight trains were scheduled from Chiang Mai to Songkhla province on November 24, labeling the online claims as false. Reverse image searches indicated the visuals were manipulated using AI, and the images on Facebook displayed an "AI Info" label.

A star-shaped watermark in the corner of the images further confirmed creation with Googles AI assistant Gemini. Google's SynthID Detector, released in May 2025 to identify AI-generated content, rated the images as "Very High" likelihood of AI origin.

Analysis revealed that the backgrounds were taken from unrelated train videos posted on YouTube years earlier, with the cargo digitally replaced. For instance, one scene matches footage from a December 25, 2021 video showing military trains carrying tanks, while another aligns with clips from December 13, 2022, depicting routine train operations at Photharam Station.

AFP has previously debunked multiple AI-generated visuals falsely presented as current flood coverage in Thailand, highlighting ongoing challenges with misinformation during natural disasters.

Author: Maya Henderson