Anti-Fake News Center Refutes Claims About Mae Nak's Cambodian Origins

BANGKOK — On February 20, 2026, the Anti-Fake News Center Thailand declared that online claims describing Mae Nak as a Cambodian folk legend under the name 'Mae Nak Battambang' are entirely false, with the Fine Arts Department under the Ministry of Culture backing their assessment. After thoroughly reviewing academic sources and credible cultural media, authorities found no substantive evidence supporting assertions that 'Mae Nak' is a Cambodian folk tale or was originally known as 'Mae Nak Battambang' as circulated on social media. The legendary Mae Nak Phra Khanong story has long been recognized as a significant part of Thai folklore, specifically associated with Bangkok's Phra Khanong area, and has been prominently featured in Thai literature, films, and folklore studies. International academic sources and Cambodian cultural documentation do not reference the legend under the claimed name or context. The Anti-Fake News Center emphasized that there is no concrete historical or folkloric evidence suggesting the Mae Nak story originated in Cambodia, and warned that such posts could potentially cause cultural misunderstandings.