Thailand condemns meme about selling organs and buying iPhone 14
Apple iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Photo: Apple / Apple Newsroom.
Authorities in Thailand condemned the creation and dissemination of a meme circulating on social networks. This image suggests that three people sold their kidneys to buy Apple’s new iPhone 14.
This was reported by several international news sources on Thursday, September 22, 2022. The graphic was disseminated by an aesthetic and beauty clinic with its headquarters in Laos, but after receiving criticism it was removed from the accounts.
The media do not know if this was real or just an attempt to gain likes. However, social media users have continued to share what has generated further discomfort as the meme went viral in Southeast Asia.
The managing director of the Thai Red Cross Organ Donation Center, Sophon Mekthon, warned that organ trading in Thailand is illegal and condemned the meme.
“There is no organ trade. That is forbidden,” Mekthon said, quoted by the Bangkok Post.
“It is inappropriate to suggest selling organs, especially to get money to buy an iPhone. It is morally wrong and unethical,” he added.
A meme claiming that three people with bloodied bandages on their abdomens sold their kidneys to purchase the latest Apple iPhone 14 has been condemned by a Thai doctor. pic.twitter.com/kM3gjpHj1W
— CCW NEWS (@news_ccw) September 16, 2022
The director of the donation center attempted to spin this story and encouraged the public to become organ donors after his death.
More than 2 million people have already registered as organ donors in Thailand, and there are currently 6,000 people on the waiting list.
-Thailand News (TN)
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